Dehydrating Applesauce - Easier Than You Would Think

Applesauce!  Who’d a thunk it? 

Can you believe this chewy wafer is actually ¼ cup of applesauce?

Creativity in making fruit leathers

Here are a variety of things you can do with fruit leathers: 

These suggestions come from the University of Utah Cooperative Extension Service.

• Different fruits can be blended together.
• Seasonings such as
• cinnamon can be added
• or powdered drink mixes or
• Flavored gelatin products.
• Season to taste, but remember it will be more concentrated when the water has been removed.
• Add undiluted, thawed frozen juice concentrates to add flavor.
• Sprinkle puree with
• shredded coconut
• chopped dates
• other dried chopped fruit
• granola
• miniature marshmallows
• chopped nuts
• chopped raisins
• poppy seeds
• sesame seeds
• sunflower seeds
• Make a fruit leather, then lightly frost it with cream cheese. Roll it up and slice it for a pinwheel effect.
• Applesauce makes a convenient leather base to which other flavors may be added. One example is Christmas Leather. Grape juice, orange, and berry frozen concentrates are possible variations.

Banana Tips and Tricks

First, know that home dehydrated bananas will not turn out like the store-bought ones. The commercially prepared ones are sulfured.

There are several ways to prepare your bananas. Usually they need to be treated with lemon juice or ascorbic acid (Fruit Fresh) to keep them from turning brown. This is purely aesthetic and does not affect the taste in any way.

I’ve tried several ways of treating them, but the easiest is with a pump bottle. 

Get a bottle of lemon juice, any brand will do. Remove the cap and replace it with a pump bottle sprayer. You will use the lemon spray on all fruits to keep them from turning brown. The mist is so fine, that it will not affect the taste at all.  

Little Round Pieces: