One of our household's favourite school snacks and summer treats.

Yes, it's time-consuming — but it is so worth it. I refuse to buy those store-bought fruit roll-ups for my kids. They're full of chemicals. These, on the other hand, are made with freshly picked plums gifted to us (I'd never say no!), warm spices from the pantry, and a little patience.

You can make a big batch like I did, or scale it down to test it out — just reduce the ingredients accordingly.

1. Cook the plums. Place the plums in a heavy-bottomed stock pot. Cook them down over medium heat until they are tender and most have burst.

2. Mill the first time. Run the mixture through a food mill using the second-to-last grind plate. Work in small scoops of about 1–2 cups at a time — this takes patience. If the plums haven't fully burst, use a spoon to help mash them through. Once you've extracted as much juice as possible, transfer the seeds and remaining pulp to another metal bowl. You'll run this through the mill a second time.
3. Pour and re-mill. Pour the strained juice into a clean heavy-bottomed saucepan. Re-mill the leftover seeds and pulp. I like to use a potato masher (or even my hands) to thoroughly mash everything first — it's worth the extra effort and usually yields another full bowl of juice.
4. Simmer until thickened. Once you're satisfied you've extracted all the juice, add it to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and reduce until thickened to a compote consistency — when you dip the back of a spoon in and draw your finger across it, the line should hold. This usually takes 30–40 minutes. Stir every 5–7 minutes and watch carefully so it doesn't burn.
5. Add sugar and spices. Stir in the sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust to your preference. A little vanilla is a lovely addition here.
6. Prepare your trays. Line your dehydrator trays with parchment paper cut to fit.
7. Fill the trays. Pour about 2 cups of the spiced plum compote onto each tray and spread it into an even layer.

8. Dehydrate. Place the trays in the dehydrator. Set it to the fruit setting — mine is 135°F / 57°C. Check your own machine's recommended temperature for fruit leather.
9. Check for doneness. Dehydrate for 8–10 hours, depending on your machine and humidity. It's ready when the leather peels cleanly from the parchment, looks dry all over, and no longer feels sticky when you run your fingers across it. There should be no wet spots.
10. Roll and store. Remove the parchment from the trays. Cut the leather lengthwise into strips, roll them up, and store in freezer bags in the pantry. They keep well at room temperature — though in our house they never last that long!

• Scaling: This recipe scales easily. Simply reduce the sugar, spices, and vanilla in proportion to the amount of plums you use.
• Storage: Rolled strips store beautifully in freezer bags kept in the pantry. They keep well at room temperature and never last long enough to worry about!
• Food mill tip: Don't skip the second milling pass. It takes extra effort but yields significantly more juice and a richer, more concentrated leather.
• Dehydrator temperature: Every machine is a little different. Always check your manufacturer's recommended temperature for fruit leather and adjust the drying time accordingly.