Apple Snacks

Fruit Roll Ups 

I've made fruit roll ups with apple sauce with my grandsons and they liked them so plan on making them to use up all those apples. You can use your home made apple sauce for roll ups or buy store bought apple sauce.  Try this with the blueberry or strawberry apple sauce.

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

½ cup honey, or more to taste

1 cup applesauce, homemade or store-bought

If you are making it from fresh fruit, combine the fruit and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until the fruit is entirely softened. Pass the puree through a food mill or fine-meshed sieve. Add the honey and applesauce and stir thoroughly. Taste and adjust the honey to your desired sweetness.

Dehydrator

If you are using a dehydrator, follow the directions provided with your machine. Make sure that you pour the puree as thin as possible, and that you dehydrate the sheets until they are mostly dry to the touch with just a bit of stickiness. This will take between 12 and 20 hours, depending on your mixture.

Oven

I use my oven.  You line two baking sheets with parchment. Pour the puree onto the baking sheets and bake at the lowest possible temperature for your oven (165⁰ F is ideal) for 12 to 20 hours, or until dry to the touch with just a bit of stickiness.  It is important that the puree pours out thinly.  If it is too thick, add a little water to it.

Lay the finished sheets over parchment, and with scissors, cut both layers together in rectangles or strips. Roll the fruit and parchment together in small rolls.

Makes 2 baking sheets.

Storage:  It stores at room temperature, in a covered container for 1 month; in the fridge, in a covered container, 2 months; and in the freezer, in a freezer bag, 6 months (thaw at room temperature).

Apple Chips

I have shared this before in a previous blog, but since I’m making them today thought I would share them again today. 

Apples

Cinnamon

Sugar

Lemon juice

Core your apple leaving the skin on.  I use an apple corer/slicer that I use a lot when canning, but you can do it all by hand.  Slice the pieces as thinly as possible and toss them in a little lemon juice.  Put some sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and toss in your slices and coat each slice well until they are completely covered with the mixture.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Put your apple slices on a Silpat (I love these things for clean up and not sticking) or put down some parchment paper or aluminum foil, layout your coated apple slices.  Do not let them touch.  Put them in the oven and turn the heat down to 150 or your lowest setting.  You may also use a dehydrator if you have one.  Just follow it’s directions.

After 3 or 4  hours turn them over.  Keep them in the oven at least 6 more hours or until they are completely dried.  You can leave them in over night.  Store them in canning jars.  They make a great snack for the lunch box or camping.

Want to get fancy?  Slice your apples horizontally and then use cookie cutters and core out the middle with little stars or hearts cookie cutters.  Again, try to slice them as thinly as possible. The secret is to use a very sharp long knife.  I don't have a mandolin, but that would work great.  Kids will love them and your family will love the smell of the house.  Why is it that cinnamon makes a house smell like a home?

Be happy and may God bless you and yours.