On your left observe the result of last night experiments in fruit ornaments handcrafting. I always doubted for some reasons that it would actually work for me, after the numerous failures at gingerbread things. But they turned out just lovely.
So here is how I did it:
Slice navel oranges no thicker than 1/4". Only keep the pretty slices, eat the rest. It's not like you are going to put the ugly ones up in your tree in the end.
Lay all the selected slices on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Dry in a 200 F oven for quite a few hours. The time really depends on where you live. Here is Utah it's very dry, so it takes less time. A convection oven also reduces time. You want to flip them once the rinds look like they want to curl up. You will stop just short of dried-up, when the pulp is still a bit flexible. The longer you leave then in the oven the darker they will get. My friend Ambre also informs me that time will darken them. Finish drying the fruit slices on racks. The next day they are ready to be threaded and hanged.
At the end of the season don't store them in plastic but rather in paper bags, to be used again for a few more Christmases.
Oh these are fabulous, thanks for sharing! I'll be linking.
Posted by: Rachel | December 12, 2008 at 01:00 PM
I saw this few years ago, my mother's friend used to make them. They look fantastic when they soak in light, and smell great.
Posted by: Frog Riding Bike | December 16, 2008 at 03:29 PM
There is a white powder that you can dip them in to keep the colour. Its for driing fruit in a dehydrator. I don't know the name but I'm sure that it isn't to hard to find out. google it
Posted by: laurie gray | January 05, 2009 at 04:32 PM