Plum Fruit Leather

Photo: flickr user donielle

Ingredients

5 cups sliced fresh plums, (about 12 plums)

1/4 cup x to ½ sugar, honey OR

Preparation

Combine fruit in saucepan with sugar and bring mixture slowly to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil 3 minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. Pour into blender and puree. Cool to lukewarm.

Cover cookie sheets or another level drying surface with clear plastic wrap.

For a stable surface, tape plastic wrap down. Pour puree on surface and spread to 1/8 inch thickness. You can also use 1/3 cup portions and spread in uniform circles.

Stretch a piece of cheesecloth or lay a window screen over but not on the surface of fruit to keep clean. Dry in full sunlight 6 to 12 hours. If not dry after first day, bring inside overnight before returning outside the next day.

To dry in oven, preheat oven to lowest temperature setting, turn off and set fruit purees in middle of oven. You may need to reheat occasionally to maintain warmth. Be sure to open oven door every few hours to let moisture escape. Takes 1 to 2 days to dry.

To store, cut plastic wrap to separate individual jerky pieces, roll each piece with plastic wrap attached, wrap each roll in another piece of plastic wrap and seal tightly. Can be frozen in airtight bags for longer storage.