Kira Stoletova
Citrus fruits are consumed not only fresh. Dried oranges are also great as an edible product. They are also used for decoration. Fruits in this form are stored for a long time. There are several ways to dry at home, and each has its own characteristics. Special skills are not required for this.
Citrus preparation
To dry an orange, choose a ripe fruit of a bright color, preferably pitted. The pulp inside should be homogeneous. Size fits different.
Citrus should be washed well under running water and dry. Then it is cut into rings about 5 mm thick. It is better that the cutting is the same, then the slices will dry evenly. If the mugs are thinner than the specified size, they will end up transparent. Sometimes whole fruits are used as decoration, then cuts are made on them around the entire circumference.
To preserve the color, the cuts are soaked in a solution. lemon juice(1 citrus per 1 liter of water). Leave for 20 min. After that, the slices are removed and blotted with a napkin. This speeds up the evaporation of moisture.
For decor
Dried oranges refresh the interior, create a certain atmosphere in the house. Handmade jewelry is used for different purposes:
- for floral compositions - combined with lemon and lime peels, cinnamon sticks;
- for the Christmas tree, along with star spices of anise and star anise;
- for bathroom decor - peeled rings are suitable;
- for Christmas wreaths, New Year's candlesticks;
- for filling vases;
- for scrapbooking - decorate photo albums, handmade notebooks;
- for panels - combine with other fruits.
Combination different colors looks nice on the shelves. When making crafts, you should be careful, because the slices are fragile and break easily. To choose a more comfortable type of drying, get acquainted with their features.
In the oven
Sliced rings are laid out on a deck covered with parchment.
They must not touch to prevent sticking. The temperature in the oven is set to 100°C-120°C. Place fruits in it. The door is slightly opened to allow air to circulate.
The process is constantly monitored. This prevents overdrying and burning. To dry oranges for decoration in this way, it takes from 4 to 8 hours, depending on the set temperature and the thickness of the cut. Periodically, the rings are wrapped on the other side. If whole citruses are placed in the oven, the required time for manipulation is about 10 hours.
If you do not dry the fruit, they will rot after a while. Properly dried orange slices are determined by the following features:
- rustling sound;
- fragile pulp.
Mugs are still sprinkled powdered sugar, then a stained glass effect is obtained. The caramel crystallizes and gives the citrus a glow. At the same time, it is worth watching the fruit, because sugar often burns.
In an electric dryer
A longer method is in an electric dryer. The device has several modes and helps to dry oranges within 18-24 hours.
You should not use an electric dryer if you want to get perfectly even mugs as a result. With this type of drying, the rings are deformed.
The device is heated to a temperature of 70 ° C (maximum). Sliced slices are placed on pallets, which are interchanged every 1.5 hours (to ensure uniform drying). To dry citruses in an electric dryer, it will take from 10 to 12 hours.
In the microwave
The plate is covered with parchment, spread citrus slices. When drying in the microwave, it is better to use sets of 30 seconds to monitor the state of the cut.
On battery
IN winter time it is better to dry oranges for decoration using heaters. First, a special structure is set up. For this:
- take thick corrugated cardboard;
- cut blanks with a size of 30 * 10 cm and 10 * 2 cm (2 each);
- large parts are pierced with an awl, holes should have frequent placement;
- small strips are glued along the edges;
- lay out sliced \u200b\u200brings of fruit;
- clamp with clothespins or other improvised means so that the citruses do not fall out.
The dryer is placed on the battery. Keep it for about 3-4 days. The method is popular because it has the following positive aspects:
- the circles are perfectly even;
- a large number of dried fruits output at the same time;
- no risk of overdrying.
If it is hot outside, the structure is placed on the windowsill, where it will be exposed to the sun. Such a dryer will last a long time if the cut is well blotted with a paper towel before use.
On air
A flat dish is covered with parchment, spread the cut. In apartment conditions, they are placed on a balcony. In private houses they take them out into the street. Depending on the dryness of the air, citruses are left for 1-3 days.
For food
Dried orange slices have also been used in cooking, because they are tasty and healthy. Their calorie content is only 301 kcal per 100 g of product. The energy value is:
- proteins - 2 g;
- fats - 1 g;
- carbohydrates - 71 g.
Dried fruits add:
- when stewing meat;
- for tea;
- in mulled wine;
- in a mixture of spices.
Dried citruses are especially tasty in caramel, in chocolate. When making chips, a sprinkle of ground cinnamon is often added. In addition to orange slices, the skin is also used for drying, which is called zest.
Drying methods
You can dry oranges at home for food in the same ways as for decoration. The method of sugaring is also often used. It takes more time and effort to implement it, but as a result, the slices are much tastier. Cooks use this recipe:
- 3 oranges fall asleep 4 tbsp. sugar, add 1 tbsp. water.
How to dry citrus fruit slices for decoration / Sama Ya mk
Conclusion
To decorate your home and add bright colors to it, you need dried orange slices and a little imagination. Such crafts will last for several months and will delight with their appearance and aroma.
Sun-dried citruses are a good alternative to fresh fruits, since almost all of the vitamin composition is preserved during the drying process. They are much healthier than cookies and candy.
Bright dried orange slices are often used as home decor. Especially fruit decoration is relevant during the New Year and Christmas time, as citrus is associated with the holiday. You can make jewelry with your own hands, even a beginner will not have difficulties during manufacturing. How to dry an orange for decoration, you will learn below.
Preparing an orange for drying
To make fruit slices bright and beautiful, they need to be prepared:
- Wash and dry fruit thoroughly.
- cut right amount citrus fruits into equal slices of 2-3 mm.
- Dip the orange in a bowl of lemon juice to keep it vibrant.
- Wipe the fruit with a tissue so that it absorbs all the liquid.
If you need to dry a whole orange in the oven, make vertical cuts in it at a frequency of 1 cm.
Using the oven
Most fast way dry fruit - use the oven. To prepare the decor element, preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent fruit from sticking. Put the slices on paper, they should not touch each other. After all the above points are completed, place the baking sheet in the oven.
The future decor element will dry for about 6 hours, but if at the end of this time the slices remain undried, leave them in the oven for another hour. Keep an eye on the orange throughout the process to ensure it doesn't burn. Turn down the heat a bit when frying. When the oven is done, separate the orange slices from the parchment paper with a utility knife and let them cool.
To speed up the process, take the citrus out of the oven every 2 hours and let it cool.
Of the advantages of using an oven: cooking speed, simplicity. Of the minuses, one can single out: a change in the shape of an orange (slices can bend), you need to monitor the future decoration during the cooking process.
Using an electric dryer
Making an orange decor element in a fruit dryer is the easiest way out there. Of course, in an electric dryer, citrus slices will not cook as quickly as in the oven, but you don’t have to follow the process. They are ready for about a day.
To dry the slices with the vegetable and fruit dryer, you just need to place them on special trays and select the desired mode. Further, the matter will remain with the dryer itself.
Pros: ease of use. The downside is: deformation during cooking, as well as the fact that not everyone has an electric dryer at home.
Battery usage
The most popular and long lasting of fruit drying methods is the use of a household battery. Slices are dried for 4 days. This method is possible only during the heating season, when the batteries in the house are functioning.
In order to dry an orange you will need: corrugated cardboard 2 pcs. (30 by 10 cm), an awl for creating holes, a fastening device (elastic bands, ropes or clothespins). If everything is available, start cooking:
- In corrugated cardboard, make small holes at intervals of 0.5 cm.
- Lay the slices on one cardboard and cover with another.
- Fasten 2 cardboard boxes together with clothespins or an elastic band (the cardboard boxes should fit snugly together so that the fruit does not slip out).
- Place the design on or in the battery.
This structure can also be used for drying on the windowsill, but the product will dry much longer - 2 weeks.
Pros: does not require additional equipment, availability. Cons: the ability to use only at certain times, it takes time to prepare, a long drying process.
The finished product can be used as a separate decoration or in combination with other decorative elements. Add spruce branches and cones to create a Christmas mood. Combine citrus with cinnamon for a pleasant scent in your home.
If you prefer to decorate your home and want to add even more color to the interior, try using dried ones for decoration. Bright, and most importantly, lively design elements are always fresh and interesting. Just imagine what original decorations for the New Year you can get. And also involve your children in the drying process and crafts - this will make the atmosphere truly family and festive.
Selection of suitable oranges
It is noteworthy that not every "golden apple" can be suitable for. An unripe fruit, after drying, may lose its saturated color, and an overripe one, on the contrary, may darken. Therefore, oranges of medium size and ripeness should be chosen. 
Choose the size for your craft: if this is a postcard, then the size is medium, but if it is a picture or decoration for a Christmas tree, then it is better to use a larger one.
Citrus preparation
Before drying the orange slices for decoration, the fruit must be thoroughly washed, then wiped dry and cut into pieces of the thickness you need.
Important! In order for the oranges to dry evenly and keep their shape well when dried, cut the orange into slices 0.5–0.7 cm thick.
Be sure to remove excess juice from the slices with a napkin, otherwise they will not dry out, but boil. 
Drying methods
You can dry orange slices for decoration different ways. They give the same result, but the choice of method will depend on how quickly you want to complete this process.
You can do it the fastest if you dry the citrus in the oven, and if you have nowhere to hurry, use the battery.In the oven
For drying in this way, in addition to the citruses themselves, you will additionally need a waffle towel and foil.
Did you know? In the most seemingly suitable place for the growth of citrus fruits-hot tropical zone-oranges do not grow orange, but green.
Consider, step by step, how to dry an orange for decoration in the oven:- Cut into slices 0.5 cm thick;
- Press the pulp of each slice with a towel to remove the juice from it as much as possible;
- Prepare a baking sheet: cover the entire surface with foil;
- Put the sliced slices at a distance on a baking sheet;
- Send a baking sheet with chopped fruit to dry in the oven for 4–5 hours at a temperature of 50–60 degrees;
- To dry the slices evenly, turn them over every 40 minutes.
In an electric dryer
Using an electric dryer is the easiest way to prepare living decor elements, if you have one, of course. This method has a number of advantages: you do not need to monitor the drying process and the process itself takes only a day.
You only need to cut the citrus into slices, put them on the dryer trays, set the appropriate mode, and that's it - all you have to do is wait for the results.
Behind the battery
Before drying oranges for decoration in a battery, prepare cardboard - chopped fruit will be laid out on it. Divide it in advance into two parts and make a couple of rows of holes in them with a step of several centimeters. 
The further course of action is as follows:
- Cut the fruit into slices 0.5–0.7 cm thick;
- Lay them out on one piece of cardboard and cover the other on top;
- Tie the resulting "sandwich" with twine or any other thread;
- Put the cardboard in the battery and dry the future decoration until completely dry (about a week).
Important! If you need to dry a whole orange before drying, make vertical cuts on it every centimeter.
- The resulting jewelry items must be stored in glass containers in a dry cool place;
- If you have dried any other fruits, it is better to store them separately;
- To prevent moths from starting in a container with dried slices, put a twig in it
In New Year's (and not only New Year's) needlework, dried oranges are often used for decoration. They can be found in the design of Christmas wreaths (as a basis for which you can use a wreath of branches - how to make it), in homemade candles used as Christmas tree decorations, and in combination with cinnamon sticks - in fragrant pendants and garlands.
In some needlework stores, such decorative circles are sold, but it is quite possible to make them yourself. How to dry oranges for decoration - our simple master class will tell.
To dry oranges for decoration, you will need:
1 medium or small orange;
sharp knife;
cutting board;
silicone mat or baking paper;
gas oven (if there is no such oven, the algorithm for how to dry oranges for decoration will be given below, you can choose the one that suits you).
How to dry an orange for decoration in the oven
Wash oranges, leave the skin to dry. Then sharp knife with a blade length covering the diameter of an orange, cut it into thin (0.5-0.7 cm thick) plates.
We cover the baking sheet with baking paper, or better with a silicone mat, and put our orange circles on the bedding.
Dry in an open oven at the lowest temperature. I dried in several visits for 2 hours each. In the middle of the process, you can turn the circles over for more uniform and faster drying - this is especially true for those whose oven does not have a complaisant disposition and warms up unevenly.
At the output, we get such dried oranges for decoration.
Dried oranges, to be sure, do not always look attractive. Some darkened crackers. To revive them and give them a brighter look, needlewomen often tint the finished “drying” with acrylic paints.
How to dry oranges for decoration without an oven
Drying in electric oven will cost too much. But this does not mean that you cannot make blanks for your creativity. To make oranges for decor, like the ones above, you will need ... just packing corrugated cardboard, a knitting needle and unnecessary pieces of rope.
We cut out relatively narrow strips from cardboard - wide enough to almost completely fit between the sections of heating radiators, and to cover the orange circles. For one blank - two identical strips. We generously pierce each of them with a knitting needle. Then we put a sliced orange on one of them (how much will fit), cover it with a second strip of cardboard, and securely fix the entire structure with a rope, wrapping it along its entire length, both from above, and from below, and from the side. Oranges shouldn't have a chance to fall out!
There can be any number of such blanks. After that, we place them between the sections of the radiator ... And in a week and a half, our blanks will be ready (or maybe earlier, no one knows how actively your batteries heat up). Of the minuses of this method - you have to wait. Of the undoubted advantages - your house will be filled with unprecedented New Year's aromas.
Tip: If you plan to use dried oranges for pendants, garlands, or wreaths, you don't need to dry the oranges completely. The main thing is that most of the moisture evaporates from them and they keep their shape without staining the surface with juice. And they will dry out already in the form of jewelry!
Eva Casio especially for the site Master classes in needlework
Orange, lemon, lime or grapefruit slices look very nice in any kind of floral arrangements. Soaked in the southern sun, they, even when dried, will bring a piece of warmth and comfort to your work. In addition, you can make delicious tea with dried lemon, so dried oranges and other citrus fruits in the household will definitely not be superfluous.
If you need to dry sliced citrus slices while maintaining their perfectly even shape and color, try the following.
We blot thinly sliced citrus slices with a towel, carefully bursting the seeds, remove excess moisture. If there are bones, they must be carefully removed. We spread it on foil or parchment paper and send it to dry in the oven at a temperature of 50 °.
Every 30-40 minutes, the slices periodically need to be turned over so that they dry out evenly and do not lose their appetizing taste. appearance, can be swapped if necessary.
It only takes 4 hours to dry in the oven.
And here is the result...
Dried orange slices...
And dried lemon wedges...
Slices with such drying does not lead and they turn out to be even and beautiful.
You can also dry slices for decoration on a battery. This drying method is relevant for winter, when the central heating is on, and will take approximately 3-4 days.
So that the pieces of citrus fruits do not bend and turn out to be flat, you need to squeeze them between two pieces of cardboard, in which you need to make holes with an awl in advance. Cardboards can be fastened together with threads, stationery rubber bands, adhesive tape or other improvised means.
Well, that's all, I hope that my experience will be useful to someone.
Remember that dried citrus slices break very easily, be careful when using them as decoration.
Create with pleasure!
I was glad to help!
