Polka Dot Fruit Leather

We love fruit leather.  I like to feed it to my kids because it is real fruit.

2 cups THRIVE Freeze Dried Blueberries (or other Freeze Dried Fruit)

1 cup hot water
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce  (I make my own apple sauce so that is what I used)

Directions:

1.        Make Blueberry Puree

Put the hot water in a blender, add the THRIVE Freeze Dried Blueberries.  Let sit until fruit is soft and completely rehydrated.  Add sugar, if desired. Blend until very smooth.

2.        Spread applesauce out onto a lightly greased lined dehydrator tray to 1/4-inch thickness, or if you are going to dehydrate in your oven on a 13 x 7 jelly roll pan that is lined with a Silpat or saran wrap.  I find a large offset spatula works well, but if you don’t have one spread the applesauce out evenly as best you can with the back of a spoon.

3.       “Decorate” the applesauce with the blueberry sauce using plastic squeeze bottles. We really like to make polka dots, but you could make any design.

If using a Dehydrator:

Place the prepared tray in the dehydrator and set the machine to 135 degrees F. Run the dehydrator for 4 hours or more until the fruit leather is no longer tacky and completely dry. The amount of time necessary depends on the thickness and amount of sugar in the fruit.

Remove the fruit leather from the tray and cut into approximately 2-inch wide strips. Store rolled up in wax paper in an airtight container. Should keep for weeks, if not months.

Yield: 1 12-inch square sheet (4 or 5 rolls)
Prep-time: 10 minutes
Dehydrating-time: 4 hours or more

If using your oven:

Preheat oven to 120 degrees Or the lowest setting your oven allows. Line a 13 x 7 inch jelly roll pan with plastic wrap or a silpat mat and pour the puree on top. Spread evenly over the pan with an angled spatula. Place in oven and stick a wooden spoon in the door to keep it slightly ajar. Cook 5 to 8 hours, depending on your oven’s temperature, or until the puree is no longer sticky and has a smooth texture.  Take it out of the oven and cool. Cut into strips and roll up.

 Inspired by this post http://www.fixmeasnack.com/category/snacktype/fruit/dried-fruit-fruit/