When my cousin Judy from California contacted me in
search of an Apricot Fruit Leather recipe for our mutual cousin Wayne, I thought it 'HYE' time to make some from scratch.
There are very few ingredients, and it's really easy to do - it just takes a bit of time.
For the record, two sources tell me that the official name for the fruit leather is 'pestil' or 'basteil' (spellings can vary greatly within Armenian circles!) - general meaning - 'fruit pulp'.
For the record, two sources tell me that the official name for the fruit leather is 'pestil' or 'basteil' (spellings can vary greatly within Armenian circles!) - general meaning - 'fruit pulp'.
Judy said Wayne's friend had some apricot leather made by someone in Fresno a long time ago and now he wants to know how to make
it.
Well, Judy and Wayne, here’s a pretty simple recipe using
dried apricots. Hope you'll like it.
After all, there's nothing better than homemade!
Homemade Apricot Leather |
Apricot
Leather
Approximate yield:
40 rolled pieces.
Ingredients:
8 ounces dried
apricots
2 tablespoons granulated
sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
***************************************
Confectioners'
sugar
Directions:
1. Place apricots in a medium saucepan; add
enough water to cover. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, about
30 minutes or until soft. Drain and cool slightly.
Cooked apricots |
2. Place drained apricots
in a blender or a food processor fitted with a metal “S” blade; add granulated sugar.
Cover and process until smooth. Add lemon juice and process until blended.
Processed apricots. |
3. Preheat oven to 175°F (or up to 200°F since
oven temps. vary).
4. Line two rimmed baking pans with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Spoon half of the apricot mixture onto each baking mat or parchment-lined pan. Thinly and evenly spread apricot mixture into a 12 x 8-in. rectangle; repeat with remaining fruit.
5. Bake 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until almost dry to the
touch. Leaving the fruit leather on the mats or parchment paper, cool completely
on a wire rack.
6. Carefully remove the leather from the silicone mat – or – cautiously tear away the parchment paper. Transfer each apricot leather rectangle to a cutting board, which has been lightly sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar. Lightly dust the top of the leather with confectioner’s sugar, too.
7. Cut into ½ x 8-in. strips using a pastry wheel, pizza wheel or knife. If the fruit leather sticks to the cutting tool, air dry for about 15 more minutes then slice and roll.
4. Line two rimmed baking pans with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Spoon half of the apricot mixture onto each baking mat or parchment-lined pan. Thinly and evenly spread apricot mixture into a 12 x 8-in. rectangle; repeat with remaining fruit.
Apricot mixture spread thinly and evenly on parchment paper. |
6. Carefully remove the leather from the silicone mat – or – cautiously tear away the parchment paper. Transfer each apricot leather rectangle to a cutting board, which has been lightly sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar. Lightly dust the top of the leather with confectioner’s sugar, too.
7. Cut into ½ x 8-in. strips using a pastry wheel, pizza wheel or knife. If the fruit leather sticks to the cutting tool, air dry for about 15 more minutes then slice and roll.
8. Store in an
airtight container in a cool dry place. If stored properly, fruit leather
should keep for about 1 month.