how to make dried orange slices
Dehydrated Orange Slices, Lemon Slices + Lime Slices make lovely natural Christmas decorations. Perfect to string together to make a garland or add to a Christmas gift. Also fab in a Christmas cocktail – just saying!
You can of course, use an oven to make diy dried orange slices – I have done this previously by baking them on a really low oven setting. Using the oven discolours the dried orange peel more than when using the Airfryer.
I must admit that this holiday craft was partly due to the arrival of a new Ninja Airfryer that I bought in the Black Friday Sale! I noticed it has a ‘Dehydrator’ setting, so I was eager to try it!
Side Note and Update! I have now had this Airfryer for some time, and it has been a fabulous addition to my kitchen. I’m so glad that I bought one with two drawers (much more useful than I would have thought!)
I used lemons and limes but you could dehydrate any citrus fruit using the same method, I think I may try dried grapefruit slices next! This all being said, no one is going to judge you for not having time to dry your own orange slices! You can actually buy them ready dried quite cheaply.. obviously you will still need to hook them up and add ribbon! Here is a pack of 30 which has great reviews.
dehydrated orange, lemon and lime slices
In case of a dehydrating disaster lol, I started with just one lemon and one lime. Slice them with the fruit ends to the left and right so that you get the wheel shape in each slice. Cut them into thin slices of about half a centimetre (5mm). You don’t want to slice them too thinly or they will curl and burn, nor do you want them any thicker than this or they will take forevvvver to dry! Once you have your lemon sliced, remove the pips! I didn’t do this on my first attempt and regretted it, once they’ve dehydrated, it’s too difficult to get them out.
dehydrating method
I would recommend lining the base of your Airfryer with baking paper. The fruit gets quite sticky as it dries out and it makes flipping them much easier. Put the slices down in a single layer with no overlapping edges to ensure an even bake.
My Ninja Airfryer has a dehydrator setting, essentially a very low cooking temperature of 65 degrees Centigrade. I set this for 6 hours to start off with. It would have been great to do this as an overnight process but unfortunately, the fruit needs a bit of attention during cooking! I checked on them every couple of hours and flipped them over. This stops the edges from curling up and keeps them flat.
After 6 hours, the fruit still felt a bit sticky so I extended my cooking time for another 3 hours. The juicier the fruit, the longer it takes! The limes dried out more quickly than the lemons. I continued to flip them every hour or so. They are ready when they don’t feel tacky to touch! The dehydrated lemons and limes’ skin will have darkened at that point. I then removed them from the Airfryer and put them on a piece of kitchen roll on my radiator overnight. I realise that everyone’s radiators probably aren’t as fat as mine, I’m sure an airing cupboard would work just as well!
Dehydrated Lemons and Limes when they are completely dry!
You can use dehydrated lemon slices and dehydrated limes to make natural Christmas decorations and garlands. Did you know that you can also use them in place of fresh lemons in cooking and drinks? Store in an airtight jar in a cool dry place!
I’m super happy with the result! Using the Airfryer method, the lemons keep their colour better than when you dry them using an oven. I am using the dehydrated lemons and limes on a small Christmas tree. For a natural look, I simply added this paper-covered bind wire. The wire is very easy to poke through the fruit, then simply twist and make a hanging loop.
Ta Daa! I kept it simple and added this lovely burgundy-coloured velvet ribbon tied in bows at the top.
More Christmas goodness!
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Coastal Kitchen Christmas Gift Guide
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