Drying Orange Slices For Crafts
Orange slices can make a wide range of beautiful crafts. You simply dry
them out with your preferred method and have fun using them in your
crafts. Drying them is easy and you actually have a few options to meet
your needs and come up with beautiful orange slices that you really
like. Once you choose a method that is your favorite way to dry orange
slices you will be popping them out and using them in all sorts of
warm, earthy crafts.
Preparing Your Fruit.
If you
have a dehydrator you can use it to make orange slices for your crafts.
You will want to choose an orange that is ripe, but not over ripe. It
should also be one that doesn't have any bruises or blemishes. It
should be fairly firm and ready for slicing. You will want to take a
very sharp knife and cut narrow slices of the orange. You should try to
make them even all the way through and try to get them about one eighth
of an inch to one fourth of an inch thick. Next blot the excess
moisture from each slice using a piece of white (non-colored with no
colored design or print) paper towel. Next you can choose a finishing
method. For orange slices that are as bright as possible dip each slice
in lemon juice. Give it a few seconds to soak in and then re-blot the
slices. For warm golden lightly browned orange slices pat them with
cinnamon. These will also smell wonderful while baking. Finally choose
your drying method and dry out your orange slices.
Dehydrator.
You
can use a food dehydrator to dry your orange slices. Simply place them
on the racks. Make sure that they are spaced far enough apart that they
aren't touching. Follow your dehydrator's directions for drying food.
It should take about six hours to dehydrate your orange slices. They
should come out well colored and thoroughly dry.
Oven.
You
can also dry your orange slices in the oven, no special equipment
needed. To do this place your orange slices one to two inches apart on
a wire rack (you can use the rack right out of the oven). If you don't
want to use the wire rack, you can use a cookie sheet, but it should be
noted that they should be lined with aluminum foil and it will take a
little longer for the orange slices to dry. Pre-heat the oven to 275
degrees. Place your orange slices in the oven and bake for one hour,
then turn the oven down to 225 degrees and finish baking. It should
take a total baking time of three to four hours. You will want to check
your orange slices every half hour and flip each one carefully. When
they are almost dry with slightly moist centers pull them out. They
will finish drying out while they cool down.
Outside.
If
you live in a climate with a lot of sun and hot days then drying your
oranges outside is a good idea. To do this you will want an old screen
complete with its frame. It is a good idea to spray it down with the
garden hose to rinse off any dust, dirt, or debris. Place your orange
slices on the screen, but not touching. Place the screen in such a way
that there isn't anything touching the bottom, giving it a lot of air
flow. You can put it between two chairs, set it on top of a five gallon
bucket, or even place it between a couple of bricks. Make sure it gets
a lot of sun. Flip the orange slices every thirty to forty minutes.
They will be completely dry when they are done. Time often depends on
the amount of sun and heat. It could take anywhere from a few hours to
eight or nine hours.
Microwave.
You can dry orange
slices very quickly in the microwave. To do this get five or six pieces
of paper towel (white with no colored prints or patterns) and place
four or five orange slices on it. Top it with another five or six
pieces of paper towel. Microwave at 50% power for eight minutes. Remove
all the paper towel and replace with fresh. Continue to microwave at
eight minute intervals until they are about three fourths of the way
dry. Then remove from the microwave and set on a wire rack to finish
drying. Using this method you can have orange slices dried and ready
for us in about an hour.
Storage.
If you aren't
going to be using your orange slices right away it is a good idea to
consider storage options. Your best bet is to find an air tight
container or to use a Ziploc resealable plastic bag. Add some silica
gel crystals (either the loose sort available at the craft store or the
variety found in packets in many items). Finally add your orange slices
and seal tightly. This will keep out the bugs and eliminate moisture to
protect your orange slices against mold. If you don't have access to an
air tight storage option you can use a box or tin, however your storage
time will be less and you will want to check your orange slices often
to make sure they aren't going bad and aren't attracting bugs.
Using Your Orange Slices.
Orange
slices offer a warm look that is homey and can actually be used for a
variety of crafts. One of the most common is to run clear nylon thread
or fish line through the orange slice and then hanging them on the try
or in other locations for Christmas ornaments. Another very common use
is to add them to dried flowers, leaves, and other fruits for
potpourri. However, these aren't the only uses for them. You can add
them to wreaths, baskets, string them together to make garland, and
even attach them to packages in place of bows. They look great mixed
with twine, decorative ribbons, other fruits, and cinnamon sticks. You
can even use them to decorate the fronts of cards! Truth be told, your
imagination is the limit. Let go, have fun, and start using your orange
slices for all sorts of crafts!
Orange slices are beautiful
and can decorate so many different crafts. Plus they are easy to make
with lots of different options. Whether you have a lot of equipment or
none at all, you can have lovely orange slices for craft purposes. You
can even use these as garnish on your drinks! See, thinking outside the
box is really good and you can come up with endless ideas!
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Comments
Hi. It is my very first time visiting your site. Thank you very much for the great article on drying oranges. It really was the most comprehensive article of the many I went through. Elmarie
Elmarie...
It's been a long time since you posted this, but thanks! I work hard to make very organized and easy to understand articles for everyone who will read them.
Good luck here on InfoBarrel
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