Overripe bananas are one of the most commonly wasted foods
in the UK. Too soft to eat, too many to use in cake —
but absolutely perfect for fruit leather. Combined with
soft berries that are past their best, this recipe turns
food destined for the bin into a genuinely delicious snack.
Why This Recipe Works
Overripe bananas are actually better for fruit leather
than fresh ones. The natural sugars have developed fully,
making them sweeter and more intensely flavoured than
a fresh banana. The same applies to soft berries —
slightly overripe fruit has more concentrated flavour
and makes the best possible leather.
What You'll Need
- 3 overripe bananas — the blacker the better
- 150g soft berries — strawberries, raspberries,
blueberries or a mix of whatever needs using up
- Optional: squeeze of lemon juice
- Ezidri FD1000 with solid sheets
How to Make Overripe Banana & Berry Fruit Leather
1. Preheat Ezidri FD1000 to 55°C
2. Peel bananas and place in blender
3. Add berries and lemon juice if using
4. Blend until completely smooth
5. Taste — the mixture should be naturally sweet
from the overripe bananas, no sugar needed
6. Lightly oil solid sheets
7. Pour puree onto solid sheets to approximately
4-5mm thickness
8. Spread evenly with a spatula keeping away
from the edges
9. Dry at 55°C for 10 to 12 hours until no
longer sticky and peels away cleanly
10. While still slightly warm peel from sheet,
place on baking paper, cool completely
then cut into strips
Dryness Test
The leather should be smooth and pliable —
not sticky on the surface and not brittle.
If the centre is still tacky return to the
Ezidri for another hour.
Storage
Roll in baking paper and store in an airtight
container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature
or up to 1 month in the refrigerator.
Tips for Best Results
- The riper and softer the fruit the better
the result — this is genuinely a recipe
where worse fruit makes better leather
- Frozen berries work brilliantly —
defrost fully and drain excess liquid
before blending
- Any combination of soft fruit works —
mango, peach, plum, apricot all make
excellent leather
- Make a double batch when you have a lot
of fruit that needs using up
Want more ideas for reducing food waste at home?
Visit our Reduce Food Waste page for more inspiration.