Thermo Fruit Rolls (Roll ups)

[Karonjulie]

Thermo Fruit Rolls

750g fruit of choice (apricots, peaches, plums, berries, applies, pears, grapes)
1 banana peeled (optional)
juice 1/2 small lemon or lime

Preparation:

Place fruit into TM bowl (including stones and or skins, except banana peel) and cook for 10 minutes on 100 degrees on speed 2.

Strain mixture through basket to remove stones if necessary and return cooked fruit to TM Bowl.  Taste and add sweetener if required.

Add juice (strained) and process for 30 seconds on speed 9 until completely smooth.

Spread thinly onto well oiled baking tray or silicone baking mat and dry in the oven for 9-12 hours overnight at 80 degrees until it is no longer sticky to touch.

Cut into strips, wrap in plastic to keep separated and keep in pantry until use for up to to 12 months.

Tips/Hints:

You can add cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla with the lemon juice for a different flavour.

Using the banana or apples will increase the quantity and reduce the overall price of your fruit rolls.

It is better to divide and conquer!  spread the mixture onto several small trays rather than one big one as this will reduce the drying time.

This recipe is from the Lunch Box and After School Idea's recipe book Feb 2009

members' comments

Baf65 - if you have a food dehydrator you can just spread it on  the trays and dry in there - I must brush the cobwebs off my dehydrator!!

MelissaS - Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I made it with strawberries for my kids and we all loved it. I dried my first batch in the over at a slightly too high heat and it got a little burnt, turned the heat down for the second batch and it was perfect.
We will definitely be making this again!

mama bel - Yum!  I've been using my dehydrator a lot lately.  The other night I made some fruit leather, rolled the whole thing into a tube and cut into spirals with the kitchen scissors.  Put each little spiral into a lunchbox so it's not stuck together, only touching very slightly.  They come out easily and are just thin, long strips, rolled up.  The kids love them!  If they're sticky, you can also toss some coconut in the container if your kids like that.
This is also another use for failed jams, if you didn't use any/much sugar in them.

CarolineW -  Probably because of the fruits I used (Apple, plums, apricots) it was hard work to strain it through the steamer basket to get rid of the skins and stones/pips.  I wished that I'd just peeled and cored them.  I then put them in the oven to dry but couldn't get the temperature low enough, even using the tea towel trick.  The result was more of a boiled sweet than a leather but it was a huge hit with DH and DD1, so that was OK. I bit the bullet and bought a dehydrator, which I've been threatening to do for years.  This afternoon I made some leather (without the straining) and it was super easy.  I've just tasted the results from the dehydrator (the trays of which I lined with baking parchment) and all I can say is Yum!  DH is of the same opinion.  DD1 will get to taste it tomorrow.  I dried some apple rings while I was at it, and they're lovely too. I used strawberries, apples (peeled & cored) and banana.  Lovely.

Brumington - I made these today with a glut of apples and pears. The kids and I thought it was lovely. Added some vanilla in with the lemon. Can't wait to try this with other fruits too.

astarra - My MIL made these for our girls using only plums and the lemon juice and they loved them!

Tasty - Made these using mainly watermelon and a little banana to make up the weight. Turned out a vibrant deep pink colour however I'm not too sure I like the taste. Prefer the apple ones I did using another recipe (I think).

[CarolineW]

I'm definitely going to try this - thanks!!!

[Thermomixer]

Thanks - the TMX will really produce nice smooth fruit leathers.  Thanks for sharing the recipe.

[baf65]

And if you have a food dehydrator you can just spread it on the the trays and dry in there - I must brush the cobwebs off my dehydrator!!

[trudy]

I had to brush off the cobwebs too.  I had so many peaches that drying them seemed the only option!!!!! 

Trudy

[MelissaS]

Karonjulie,

Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I made it with strawberries for my kids and we all loved it. I dried my first batch in the over at a slightly too high heat and it got a little burnt, turned the heat down for the second batch and it was perfect.

We will definitely be making this again!

[mama_bel]

Yum!  I've been using my dehydrator a lot lately.  The other night I made some fruit leather, rolled the whole thing into a tube and cut into spirals with the kitchen scissors.  Put each little spiral into a lunchbox so it's not stuck together, only touching very slightly.  They come out easily and are just thin, long strips, rolled up.  The kids love them!  If they're sticky, you can also toss some coconut in the container if your kids like that.

This is also another use for failied jams, if you didn't use any/much sugar in them.

[Thermomixer]

Good thinking mama_bel.  Great to see you back here 

[amgrantham81]

The lowest setting on my oven is 120C, any idea's on how I can do this??

Thanks for posting the recipe.

[zebraa]

I think you are meant to aim for between 50-70 deg when drying. I put mine on the lowest (100) and leave the door open with a rolled up tea towl when I am drying apples and that works fine - but it only takes 3 hours not the usual min 6. So  Iwould try that but do it in the day and keep an eye on it so you can see when it gets too much.

Try with half a batch maybe.

Would they be able to be stored rolled up in an airtight container instead of the clingwrap?

[Thermomixer]

The lowest setting on my oven is 120C, any idea's on how I can do this??
 

generally you can have the oven on at between the Off & lowest setting and it will come somewhere around the 70 or 80.

Do you have an oven thermometer to check?

[amgrantham81]

The lowest setting on my oven is 120C, any idea's on how I can do this??
 

generally you can have the oven on at between the Off & lowest setting and it will come somewhere around the 70 or 80.

Do you have an oven thermometer to check?

I just went and had a play, and if I push the oven back to before 120 the flame goes out, I have a gas oven.  I dont have an oven thermometer.


I will tyr the tea towel theory tomorrow.  No kids at home so it will not be a risk to them.

[Wonder]

Hi,

I make these roll ups with all our left over fruit and the kids love it for their lunch boxes. Recently one of my son's teachers has commented that all the nutrients in the fruit are destroyed as a result of the cooking, and as such he is not allowed to have this as a "healthy snack". Does anyone know the affects on the nutritional value from the initial TMX cooking and then the dehydrating process? I use whole fruit with only cores or stones removed and honey for a little sweetness.

I understand there would be some nutritional loss but would have thought it would retain the majority.
Thanks

[judydawn]

That's a shame Wonder, anything homemade has to be better than shop bought treats I would have thought.
Found this comment here http://blog.food-dehydrator.com/

"While the food dehydrating process does cause some nutrient loss, dried fruit is still an excellent source of:

■Vitamins A and various vitamin B’s
■Minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, copper and manganese
■Protein
■Natural sugars
■Antioxidants
Dried fruit generally does not contain vitamin D and only contains small amounts of Vitamin C. However, applying a coat of lemon, lime, pineapple or other citrus fruit juice before the fruit dehydrating process can add vitamin C to the dried fruit, help prevent food discoloration and offset flavor and nutrition loss."

Perhaps you could show it to the teacher and see what her/his answer is.

[Wonder]

Thanks for the information Judy. I haven't had a chance to get back to the teacher and with less fruit around in winter haven't been making as many roll ups.