Three effective methods for creating decorative pieces from orange slices

Bright, juicy, festive orange color radically transforms the usual appearance of the room, uplifting the mood and filling the atmosphere with warmth. To enjoy the sunny inserts in your design even in winter, you don’t have to purchase the appropriate accessories; you just need to dry an orange for decoration and use it to decorate the room. This is done quickly, no specific skills are required.

You can dry fruit slices in one of three ways, each of which has its own strengths and weaknesses. To perform the manipulation, you need to purchase a ripe, very bright orange with uniform pulp and preferably without seeds. The best option would be a product intended for making juice.

Drying an orange in the oven - features of the approach

To easily and simply dry citrus for decoration, you should use the option in which the main element is processed in the oven. The main thing here is not to overcook the ingredient and not allow it to completely fry.

The procedure consists of sequentially performing the following manipulations:

1. Wash the orange, cut it into thin slices up to 5 mm thick, the main thing is that they turn out the same, without thickened or narrowed edges, otherwise it will not be possible to dry them evenly.If desired, some elements can be peeled, but this is more often used for decoration in the bathroom, kitchen, decorating bouquets and decorating flower vases.
2. Dry each slice by wrapping it in paper towels. Excess juice should be completely absorbed.
3. Next, line the baking sheet with parchment paper and distribute the orange slices over its surface. Dry them in an oven preheated to 140ºC for 4-8 hours. We check the products regularly, otherwise you may miss the moment when they start to fry.

Some housewives prefer to dry whole fruits. In this case, cuts are made on the surface of the citrus every centimeter. Drying is carried out under the same conditions for 6 hours.

Tip: Orange slices will retain their bright color for a longer time if you soak them in lemon water before the drying process. To prepare it, dilute the juice of one lemon in a liter of boiled chilled water. Soak the elements in it for half an hour, dry and process.

How to dry workpieces using a radiator or sunlight?

To facilitate the process of manufacturing decorative elements, it is necessary to design special devices. We take two identical pieces of cardboard, approximately 10 by 30 cm in size, and cover them with frequently spaced holes. We place the fruit slices on one piece, cover with the second and fasten with office clips, rubber bands or ropes.

The main thing is that the contact density is high, otherwise the workpieces will simply fall out. In this form, oranges can be dried on a windowsill, simply by placing the structures on the sunny side, or between the radiator elements.The last option is only suitable if the heating season has already begun.

With this approach, it takes at least three days to receive ready-made decorative items, but the finished products turn out to be perfectly even in shape, and it will not be possible to overdry them in this way. Every day the condition of the bookmark must be checked, because the slices, as they dry, will decrease in volume. The bond between the cardboard sheets may need to be made stronger.

Tip: To prevent sagging from forming on the cardboard, which could spoil the appearance of the final product, you need to thoroughly dry the slices before placing them on the cardboard. To do this, use several layers of paper towels.

Finished products as decorations will last for several months, all this time they will delight not only with their attractive appearance, but also with a pleasant aroma. A new batch will have to be dried no earlier than in 4-5 months. It is recommended not only to lay out original items on shelves, but also to use them to create ikebana, New Year trees, Christmas or Easter wreaths.