Dessert

Published on September 4th, 2012 | by Rachel Budke

1

Fruit Snacks for Grace ♥

This post is in memory of my good friend, Grace.  She loved to eat fruit snacks, so I decided I would make some in honor of her.  Please visit the Grace Elizabeth Shaw Foundation, which helps children facing physical, emotional, or educational challenges. You can also visit the foundation’s Facebook page here.

Technically speaking, this is a recipe for Pâte de Fruit, a chewy fruit candy popular in France–  but I am more than happy to name them fruit snacks.  :) Love you, Gracie!

Adapted from: Jacques Torres

Ingredients:  

• 1 cup applesauce
•  1 1/2 cup apricots, fresh or canned
• 1/2 cup raspberries
• 2 cups sugar
• Extra sugar, for dusting

Method:

1. Place the apple sauce, apricots, and sugar into a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Place half of this mixture into a non-reactive saucepan.
3. Take the remaining half of the apricot mixture and blend in the raspberries.  Strain the mixture to get rid of excess seeds.
4. Place the raspberry mixture in a separate non-reactive saucepan.
5. Place both pans on medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
6. Cook until very thick – about 30 minutes to 1 hour.  You can test to make sure that the mixture is thick enough by dipping in a whisk and lifting it.  If the mixture stays on the whisk, you should be done.  If the mixture drips off of the whisk, keep on cooking.
7. Pour each mixture into a 5 inch bottomless tart pan with parchment paper underneath.  If you do not have a bottomless tart pan (like me!) you can allow the mixture to cool slightly, line your counter with parchment paper, pour the mixture onto the paper, and spread it into a square shape.  It worked just fine for me!
8. Let the mixture set for three hours at room temperature.
9. Cut into small squares (or any other shape) and roll in sugar.

Keep airtight and wrapped in plastic for up to 2 months.  Do not store in the refrigerator, or the sugar on the outside will dissolve.

Tags: Fruit Snacks, Pate de Fruit

About the Author

Rachel Budke Rachel is a senior at Kansas State University, where she is studying Bakery Science. In the fall of 2013 she studied abroad in Florence, Italy. She loves cooking, photography and DIY projects.