Lavashak Recipe _ Persian Homemade Fruit Leather

Lavashak, or Persian fruit leather, is a traditional sour-sweet snack made from cooked and dried fruit puree. In this recipe, you’ll learn how to make homemade lavashak with plums, how to dry it properly, and how to store it so it stays fresh for longer.

Plum and apricot lavashak are among the most popular varieties, known for their bold color and perfectly balanced sweet‑sour flavor.

Now let’s walk through how to make authentic homemade lavashak step by step.

 

In the following, we have provided a quote from the Wikipedia page on the meaning of Lavashk, which is very important.

Lavashak  is the Persian name for sour and salty fruit leather, a thin, firm and dried plate of pure or mixed fruit puree such as plums, apricots, or pomegranates. The mass of overcooked fruit is salted, pressed through a sieve, smoothed to a height of approximately two millimeters, and dried until it has cooled down and is firm.

 

In this article you will read

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How to make Lavashak? 

This fruit leather is a Persian dessert prepared from the condensed juice and flesh of fleshy fruits with sour and salty flavours. To prepare this dessert, use fruits such as plums, apples, kiwis, and pomegranates.

The sour taste of this is a special attraction, and in general, these desserts are prepared with pickles and salt to achieve this attractive taste.

The name Lavashak is derived from the word lavash. The term lavash refers to anything wide and thin that has been dried. This is also prepared from the spread and dried extract of various fruits.

 Ingredients:

Black or yellow plum	2.2 pound
Salt	One teaspoon (or as needed)

Preparation and cooking time: 55 minutes

The time required for drying: 24 hours

1. Wash the plums and heat them with boiling water

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When preparing plum leather, wash the plums well and pour them into a pot. Pour enough water into the pot to cover the plums. Try to use boiling water. Put the pot on the heat and cover its lid.

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2. Mash the cooked plums

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Continue heating the plums until the juice is drained and the plums are completely soft. Start crushing the plums with the back of a spoon. Wait for the plums in the pot to cool.

3. Strain the liquid

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Place on a flat surface. It is better if the pores of the filter are large. In the third step of preparing plum leather, pour the dessert ingredients into a strainer and press the plums with the back of a spoon.

Try to pass the meat and plum juice through the filter as much as possible. Only the skin and core of plums should be left in the filter. You can also use your hands to press the plums well.

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4. Add salt and sugar to the batter

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Remove the filter and taste this. Add salt to it if desired. If you want this dessert to taste sweet, add a little sugar. Spread in a plastic or cellophane tray in a freezer. Grease it with oil so this dessert doesn’t stick to the plastic after drying.

5. Put this in the sun

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Line a tray with plastic wrap or parchment paper before spreading the fruit puree evenly over the surface. The diameter should be about half a centimetre so that the thickness of the lavashak does not decrease too much after drying.

Then, cover the tray loosely with a thin cloth to protect it from dust and insects while it dries.

Be careful that the textile does not touch this. Place the tray in the sun for 1 day and in the shade for another day.

6. Cut

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Wait for the plums to dry completely. After the fruit leather is completely dry, remove it from the plastic and wrap it up.

Then, cut this into the desired sizes. Place them in a dry and cool place. Keeping this dessert in the refrigerator is better to preserve its taste and prevent it from hardening too much.

7. Yellow plum leader

Use yellow plums instead of black plums to prepare yellow plum leather. Do all the steps to prepare black plum leather for this one.

If you want the two sides of the fruit leather to have plastic after it dries a little, put a layer of freezer plastic on the other side. Lavashk is one of the sourest Iranian desserts, next to Ghare Ghoroot.

 What is the History of Lavashak?

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Lavashk is an authentic Iranian dessert that dates back thousands of years. Even in the reliefs of Takht Jamshid, you can see symbols of this. The story of this begins with the creativity of Iranians to preserve food.

Of course, like many ancient cultures, Iranians developed creative ways to preserve seasonal fruit for the colder months. By adding salt to food, they prevent food from spoiling in the long term. In Iran, drying fruit puree into thin sheets became a practical and delicious way to prevent waste during peak harvest season.

In ancient times, Iranians made a large part of the seasonal fruits available in the market, such as Lavashak, to use on other days of the year.

They had learned the art of using salt with meaty fruits. At the same time, they used the power of the sun to dry the fruits indirectly.

Water is the main cause of fruit rotting, and if you can extract the juice without destroying the fruit tissue, the dried fruit extract will last for a long time.

Salt is also a complementary element used in the right amount so that it does not make it salty. The presence of salt will prevent Persian fruit leather from becoming moldy in the long run.

Different methods of drying at home without an oven:

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Drying Iranian fruit leather without an oven under the sun, on a heater, and in front of a fan.

There are different ways to dry this dessert, and you can choose which one is best for you according to the conditions.

The first and most common method is to use the open space and place it under the sun. In this method, try to cover it with a thin textile so insects and dust do not sit on it.

The second method is for those who do not have access to open space and sunshine. In this case, you can dry this dessert in front of the fan and in the vicinity of the wind.

This method also requires more time. You can even use a hair dryer. In the year’s cold seasons, use a heater to dry all kinds of lavashaks.

Looking to drop some weight and slim down your waistline? Researchers at the University of Liverpool divided 100 overweight subjects into two groups; one group ate prunes every day over a 12 week period, and the control group did not. On average, those in the prune group lost 4.4 lbs and an inch off their waistline.

 Sourced :minnetonkaorchards.com

Drying Iranian fruit leather in the oven:

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In this method, the oven temperature is set to 248 degrees Fahrenheit. Put a layer of grease-proof paper on the bottom of the oven tray. Place an ovenproof textile on the paper.

Pour the fruit leather on the cloth.  The thickness of the fruit leather should be about half a centimeter.

Place the tray on the top shelf of the oven. Place the tray in the oven for at least 2 or 3 hours until it completely loses its water and hardens.

In addition to the sides, the fruit leather itself should be completely dry. Then, take the tray out of the oven and leave it at room temperature for about 2 hours to cool down.

Remove this fruit leather from the textile, cut it with a cutter or a sharp knife, and roll it. To prevent the rolled fruit leather from sticking, place a piece of greaseproof paper on it and then roll it.

Properties and benefits :

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• Plum leather helps to treat insomnia. This dessert can control urea and cholesterol, help eliminate toxins, and regulate body fluids.
• Plum leather removes kidney stones and reduces fever, relieving rheumatic and joint pains.
• In addition, this Persian fruit roll helps to cleanse the body and eliminate urinary infections, especially in women.
• You can also enjoy eating fruit leather to relieve fatigue.

Notes for Persian fruit leather:

• You can use all kinds of plums, such as black plums (red plums), yellow plums, or a combination of them to prepare plum leather.
• Yellow plums usually have a sweeter taste, and there is no need to add sugar to them.
• If you want plum leather to taste sour, use more sour plums. Of course, add salt before putting it in the open air.
• Use healthy plums to prepare plum leather so that the taste of Lavashak does not become bitter and spoil.
• After cooking, the concentration of fruit leather should be the same as that of tomato paste.
• If you take the plum leather out of the sun before it completely dries, it may get moldy after some storage time. If it dries too much, it is hard to eat.
• You can use aluminum trays to dry it. Grease the bottom of the tray. The aluminum material of the tray makes it easy to separate it from the bottom of the tray.

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FAQ :

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1. What are the most important properties and benefits of plum leather?

Plum leather helps to treat insomnia and control urea and cholesterol. This Persian snack is useful for removing kidney stones and reducing fever, relieving rheumatic and joint pains, cleansing the body, and removing urinary infections.

2. What raw materials do we need to prepare homemade plum leather?

To prepare homemade plum leather, you only need some black or yellow plums and salt.

3. What is the best way to prepare plum leather for people who do not have access to the sun and oven?

Those who do not have access to the open space, the sun, and the oven can dry plum leather in front of a fan and in the vicinity of the wind. This method requires more time. You can even use a hair dryer for this.

4. Which fruit leather can be mentioned among Iranian sweet leathers?

Apricot, cherry, apple, and persimmon leather are among the types of sweet, homemade fruit leather.

5. What can be done to sour or soften all types of homemade fruit leather?

Pickle or rub homemade fruit leather with salt, lemon juice, or lemon essence.

6. What are the different types of homemade fruit leather?

Many people believe that multi-fruit, barberry, and persimmon fruit leather are the most different and special types of homemade fruit leather.

7. Can lemon juice be added to make Lavashak more sour?

Yes, adding lemon juice can make fruit roll more tart or sour.

8. How many calories are in Lavashk?

The number of calories in Lavashk can vary according to the type of fruit, additives, etc. But normally, you can get 351 calories per 100 grams of lavash.

9. What is Lavashk in English?

Lavashk, or Persian fruit leather, is a product of one, two, or more fresh fruits that are cooked in the process and finally become colorful and tasty layers.  Lavashk has single-fruit, double-fruit, and multi-fruit.

10. Is Lavashak healthy?

Yes, because Persian fruit roll is made from fresh fruits, which are healthy and have a lot of vitamins. However, if salt, sugar, and chemical additives are used in this product, it becomes unhealthy.

11. What are the essential lavashak ingredients in this recipe?

The core ingredients here are 2.2 pounds of black or yellow plums and 1 teaspoon of salt. These two alone are enough to create a thick, flavorful fruit leather with the classic sweet–sour taste.