DRYING FRUIT IN OVEN RECIPES

Steps:

• Tip the strawberries and apple into a saucepan. Put the pan over a low heat, you don’t need to add any water. If you've used frozen fruit, juice will run out as they thaw. Heat gently, keeping an eye on the pan until the strawberries start to break down, you can put a lid on the pan if you like, this keeps the steam in and helps the fruit break down. Cook until the strawberries have softened and given up their juice and the apple is soft.
• Take the pan off the heat. Purée the contents with a stick blender or in a food processor. Squeeze the purée through a sieve into a clean pan, pushing as much pulp through as possible.
• Put the pan back on a low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the purée thickens enough to leave a clear patch on the base of the pan when you pull a spoon through it. The more moisture you drive off now, the shorter your drying time will be.
• Heat the oven to as low as it will go. Pour the purée onto a lined baking sheet (we use a reusable silicone tray liner) and spread it out to a thin layer, the purée should be thick enough to look opaque.
• Put the tray in the oven and dry until the surface is no longer tacky when you touch it, but the leather is still flexible – don’t overcook it or it will turn brittle. This will take several hours depending on the oven temperature. If it is very hot and sunny you can air-dry the leather, or use a dehydrator.
• Leave the leather to cool to warm and then peel it carefully off the tray. Trim off the raggedy edges. Roll the leather up, then cut the roll into sections, using scissors is easiest. Each of these will unroll to make a strip. Keep the strips individually wrapped and airtight. The offcuts can be chopped up and used in baking, or snacked on.

Steps:

• Prepare fruit. Cut pineapple, apricots and watermelon rind into small pieces; chop cherries in half; remove white pith from lemon, orange or grapefruit peel and cut into strips or small pieces. Depending on your finished use you may also simply cut your fruit into 1/4 inch (aprox.) slices.
• Combine 1 cup sugar, 1 cup honey and 1-1/2 cups water in heavy saucepan.
• Boil over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches 235 degrees F on candy thermometer.
• Thread Stage 230° F–235° F sugar concentration: 80% At this relatively low temperature, there is still a lot of water left in the syrup. When you drop a little of this syrup into cold water to cool, it forms a liquid thread that will not ball up. Cooking sugar syrup to this stage gives you not candy, but syrup—something you might make to pour over ice cream.
• Drop small amount of fruit into liquid.
• Cook on low heat 20-30 minutes until the fruit or rind is transparent.
• Drain and repeat with rest of fruit in the same syrup.
• Cool fruit and store in airtight container. Your fruit can also be rolled in granulated sugar after it is cooled, to give it a nice frosty coating and to help keep the bits separate.
• NOTE: When you are done making your candied fruit, you will have a very tasty syrup that can be used to sweeten drinks, or pour over ice cream... or whatever you can dream up. It might even be good as a glaze on a bundt cake! Be sure you taste it before storing it. If you like it, keep it. If you don't, well then toss it out.
• Here's how they do it in Canada with lots more tips and information: http://www.canadianliving.com/food/cooking_school/how_to_make_candied_fruit.php More information and tips can be found at: http://allrecipes.com/howto/candying-fruits/
• Interesting history from Wikipedia: Food preservation methods using sugar (palm syrup and honey) were known to the ancient cultures of China and Mesopotamia. However, the precursors of modern candying were the Arabs, who served candied citrus and roses at the important moments of their banquets. With the Arab domination of parts of southern Europe, candied fruit made its way to the West. The first documents that demonstrate the use of candied fruit in Europe date back to the sixteenth century.
• Tips & Warnings You can blanch citrus peels (dip them in boiling water for a few minutes) to make them less bitter. If desired, you can also DEHYDRATE your CANDIED FRUIT by spreading thin layers on trays and drying for 12-18 hours at 120 degrees F until fruit is no longer sticky and the center has no moisture. To sun dry, put trays in full sun for 1-2 days, stirring occasionally, until fruit is no longer sticky. Take trays in at night. To oven dry, spread on trays and dry at 120 degrees F for 18-24 hours. Store dried candied fruit in an airtight container.
• Found this particular recipe on http://www.ehow.com/how_3910_make-candied-fruit.html#ixzz2FQpsT6S