Apricot Leather

Preparation Preheat oven to 200°F. and oil a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Pit apricots and coarsely chop. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook apricots and sugar over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Cook mixture at a bare simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 40 minutes more. In a blender purée mixture until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Transfer purée to baking pan and spread evenly over bottom. Dry purée in middle of oven until it feels drier but slightly tacky, about 1 hour. Cool leather completely in pan on a rack. Peel leather out of pan and roll up in wax paper. Leather keeps, wrapped in plastic wrap, at cool room temperature 1 month.

Preparation Preheat oven to 200°F. and oil a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Pit apricots and coarsely chop. In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook apricots and sugar over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Cook mixture at a bare simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 40 minutes more. In a blender purée mixture until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Transfer purée to baking pan and spread evenly over bottom. Dry purée in middle of oven until it feels drier but slightly tacky, about 1 hour. Cool leather completely in pan on a rack. Peel leather out of pan and roll up in wax paper. Leather keeps, wrapped in plastic wrap, at cool room temperature 1 month.