Julie's Mouthwatering Homemade Apple Chips
JulieMorris
Posted On February 17, 2012
Homemade Apple Chips
Every year, right around this time, I find my farmer’s market visits to be a little less glamorous than usual. I know I really shouldn’t complain: here in Southern California, we’re blessed with temperate weather that allows for delicate greens, ripe tomatoes, and vibrant flowers even in the “dead” of our (60-degree F) winters. But in the quest for eating semi-locally and semi-seasonally, come February the fruit stands are… alas, kind of boring. Oh, look, it’s apples and pears, again.
Really, I don’t want to sound like an ingrate, but I do find that this monotonous stretch of the fruit season tests my creativity a bit. Pie season is over. Muffins have lost their “ooo” factor. Even the crunch of my daily fresh apple just seems a little tired. So, to shake things up, I start looking around for ways to make the late winter fruits exciting again. This usually means it’s time to pull out the dehydrator and make some always-addicting apple chips (dehydratorless readers, don’t fret – you can use your oven as well).
Sure, you can buy apple chips in the store. But these varieties have NOTHING on homemade apple chips – trust me. And until the day I die I will never cease to be amazed by how a simple food combination (four ingredients!) can transform a wicked case of food boredom into a munch-fueled happy dance.
Apple Chips
You will be amazed at how candy-like these snacks are … without an ounce of added sugar, thanks to the sweet flavor of mesquite powder. A fun bonus is that after making this recipe, your hands smell absolutely wonderful!
Serves 4 (easy to double the recipe)
Ingredients
4 medium sweet apples
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1½ tablespoons mesquite powder
Directions
Use a mandolin to slice the apple into 1/8-inch slices (if no mandolin is available, slice carefully by hand, as thinly as possible). Place the slices in a large bowl. Sprinkle the vanilla extract on top, and use your hands to toss very well, making sure the vanilla is evenly distributed, and separating any slices that may have clumped together. Add the cinnamon and mesquite powders and toss well. Continue with preferred method below:
Dehydrator method: Transfer to several mesh dehydrator sheets, laying the slices down in a single, flat layer. Dehydrate at 115 degrees F (or desired temperature) until crispy, about 6-8 hours. Store in an airtight container to prevent the chips from getting soft.
Oven method: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Lay the apple slices on top of the parchment in a single flat layer, and bake for 90 -120 minutes, or until crispy, flipping over once halfway through. Watch the chips carefully at the end of their cooking time to prevent burning.
Originally Posted By:
Julie Morris on February 17, 2012
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