When I moved into my house in south Minneapolis, my brother send me root stock for a golden delicious apple. After 10 years, my tree is finally bearing fruit, but it’s still a standoff between me and squirrels. Not so at my friends Christopher and Mehgan’s house, just down the creek from me. They have two old apple trees that are loaded with fruit every year. We’ve no idea what apple variety they might be, but the big, tart, crisp fruit is perfect for pie, canning, sauce and drying. We had lots of fun picking apples last weekend and are now loaded down with 40 pounds of fruit. I better get busy!
My daughter loves fruit leather, so I made some sheet of it with our extra apples. I leave the skins on for the extra fiber and nutrients, as well as dehydrate them at a low temp of only 115 degrees. The low temp preserves whatever native yeasts and beneficial bacteria might be on the fruit, which have been shown to be good for your digestive system. I also add a bit of yogurt to the fruit leather to give it protein and a buttery flavor. Finally, I throw in some warm pie spices to give it that fall kick, just like my apple pie.
Tammy’s Apple Pie Fruit Leather Recipe
Ingredients:
• 6 large apples
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk yogurt
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 cup water
Instructions:
Core and dice the apples. In a blender, add the yogurt, honey, water and the apples. Blend the mixture until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more water. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Prepare your dehydrator mats or cookie sheets. I don’t have the fruit leather trays, so I cover my mats in plastic wrap. You can also use parchment paper, which I recommend if you are drying in the oven. Divide the mixture between several mats/sheets (mine took two) and spread evenly, about 1/8-inch thick. Don’t go too thin or the leather will be brittle.
Dehydrate at 115 degrees for about 6-8 hours in a dehydrator, or 4-6 hours in the oven on low with the door ajar. Roll the leather up and wrap to keep fresh. I cut strips off the roll with scissors. It’s the perfect portable snack!
Photos by Tammy Kimbler
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