I made Pear Fruit Rolls

I planned a post for this week; something about the things I eats a new-found vegan. I even wrote notes. But things don't always go as planned, yanno? So I'm just going to write about the snacks I eat. I find meals much easier than snacks. My snack menu usually just rotates around fruit and spaghetti hoops. Not all that inventive to the taste buds or eyes. 
After severe, creatively-straining Pinterest scrolling; I complied a list for myself of snacks I wished to make, and have now tried and tested. I made a list because that's what I do, I'm a list maker. The results varied from spectacularly delightful to surprisingly and disappointingly mediocre. 
One of the more pleasing cookings came in the form of a Pear Fruit Roll. Call it fruit leather, if you wish to do so. I've been meaning to make fruit rolls for too long. I'm really great at procrastinating...

It should go without saying that fruit rolls include fruit somewhere within. Soft, going old, fruit works all the wonders in this recipe. It's just when you think the stage of deliciousness is long gone, that's when it gets you good. Enter going-old-fruit. My preferred choice of healthiness happened to be pears. This was nothing to do with the fact that an abundance of pears just happened to be overflowing the fruit bowl. Nothing at all. This is a problem to something that isn't really a problem. What to do with prolific amounts of soft fruits (said no one ever!)? Make fruit rolls. Honestly, I'd eat pears by the handful just raw. (Is fruit 'raw'?)
The Fruit Roll is nostalgic, simple and seemingly uncomplicated, yet fun and fruity. I plan to make the nostalgia and light-heartedness of the fruit roll a recurring theme throughout the upcoming summer months. I'll try it out in different flavours and work towards a goal. I'm thinking: fig, berry, mango?
I imagine any fruit would work marvellously at this stage. Anything blends, right? I'm visualising a very green-sort-of-nice kiwi fruit roll - and I'm definitely getting ideas of taking this down a vegetable path. Peaches? Blend 'em. Fish? Too far.
Now you chop up the (insert chosen fruit) into average sized pieces. I stood squandering my time away under the belief that my pieces needed to be trés small. I was greatly mistaken- do not repeat my mistakes.

A new friend of mine in the culinary world is the all-the-rage juicer/blender. It's thunderous sound is a proclamation of presence and is strangely satisfying to control, along with the fact that it makes me look both professional and very busy. And so you blend your chopped chosen fruit, and just the fruit because this is a wonderful one-ingredient recipe; until a gloopy, thick liquid pointedly scrutinizes your baking ability. 
Next, cue the lining of the baking trays; which should practically happen first, albeit, I felt radical. Why not? I used cling film/ plastic wrap, and, oh, how bad a choice this turned out to be. I recommend parchment paper. Gallop ahead and pour and spread the blend over the trays relatively thinly. 
To finish, bake on the lowest setting your oven has for 6-8 hours. Patience is a virtue. When the fruit does not stick to your finger and feels firm; remove. All is well until you begin to try and peel the rolls off the cling film. This is where all hell breaks loose and thus I recommend not using sticky, melting and shrinking in the oven, cling film.
A portion of 7 baby pears, intended to last a week at least, entered only my mouth (gladly), and ceased to exist before the hour was up. Consider these fruit rolls your summertime bragging rights. Enough said. They were good. Believe the hype. 
Cheerio!
Currently watching: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Currently reading: Uglies, by Scott Westerfeld The sun made me happy today. I wore sunglasses without looking and feeling ridiculous.