Fruit Leathers

Blackberry & apple leather

This recipe comes from Pam Corbin, aka Pam The Jam, the author of River Cottage Handbook No 2: Preserves.  They are so more-ish - I'm going to have to hide them to stop then being polished off by the children.  Jo and I had fun rolling them up into fun shapes.  We made apple and blackcurrant and apple and raspberry.  Fresh from the garden.

Her fruit leathers are addictively simple to make – once you've made one, you'll soon be experimenting (apricots, plums and peaches all make good leathers). Cut off strips to add a healthy, fruity punch to lunchboxes and picnics. Makes two sheets.
500g blackberries
500g cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
150g honey
A little groundnut oil, for greasing
Preheat the oven to very low – 60C/gas mark ⅛ is good, though the lowest setting you can manage is fine. Put the blackberries, apples and lemon juice in a pan, cook gently, partially covered at first, until soft and pulpy, about 20 minutes. Rub through a sieve or mouli into a bowl – you should have about 700g smooth purée. Mix in the honey.
Divide between two baking sheets lined with oiled baking parchment or foil, spreading out the purée thickly with a spatula until the sheets are covered with a smooth, even layer about 5mm deep. Bake for 10-12 hours, until it is completely dry and peels off easily. Roll up in greaseproof paper or clingfilm, store in an airtight container in a cool place and use within four months; or freeze it, well sealed, for up to a year.

This is what the leather looks like when it's peeled off the tray.