Peaches
Dried Peach Slices
Foodland Ontario and Emily Richards team up to bring you this great recipe for real "fruit leather" - easy to pack for snacks or chopped up and added to cookies and cakes. Be sure to pick up a basket (or two!) of fresh Ontario grown fruit to use in this recipe.
Drying Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: Makes about 2 cups (500 mL) peach slices
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs (1 kg) fresh Ontario peaches
- 3 cups (750 mL) water
- 1/3 cups (75 mL) lemon juice
- 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
Preparation:
In large bowl combine water, lemon juice and salt.
Pit peaches and cut them into thin slices. Add peaches to water mixture and let soak for 10 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer peaches to paper towel-lined baking sheet and pat dry. Arrange peach slices in a single layer on cheesecloth lined cooling racks.
Place racks in 170°F (85°C) oven and let peaches dry for about 4 hours or until no water comes out when peaches are pinched (leathery and pliable). Let cool completely. Place peach slices in glass jars or parchment or waxed paper-lined cookie tins.
Apple or Pear Variation: Use Ontario apples or pears for the peaches.
Spice Variation: If you would like a little bit more flavour in your dried fruit, Add 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon, ground cardamom or nutmeg or Chinese 5 spice powder to the lemon water when soaking fruit.
