Cinnamon sticks, dried oranges etc

[nappyaddict]

Never done them before so can anyone tell me how? And also need some ideas for similar decorations.

I tried to dry my own orange slices once, and it took a really long time in a very low oven, and they went brown and not very attractive looking. I hope someone else has managed successfully, to advise you. I think that the many hours in a very low oven isn't cost effective, so I would get ready made from a florists supplier or Hobbycraft. Same with cinnamon sticks. The decorative ones aren't the same as the food grade, so don't buy them in the supermarket!

You can thread orange slices onto narrow ribbon to hang from the Christmas tree, or use wire to attach them to wreaths and garlands. Cinnamon sticks can also be wired in bunches, and used in the same way, or bind with ribbon. You can add little sprigs of artificial berries or leaves if you wish.

Remember that if you put dried orange slices on a wreath for outdoors, the orange will start to rehydrate and could become mouldy if we have a mild winter.

Does anyone make their own or do you all buy them?

I do my own orange slices. Slice them fairly thinly then place on baking sheet in the oven (on the lowest possible setting) for about 6 hours. I buy cinnamon sticks from the local spice stall on the market and just tie them together with ribbon. Not as pristine as the bought ones, but they still look nice.

I have an antipathy towards dried orange slices. Don't ask me why.

Whatever you do, don't oven-dry lemon slices though. They go dark brown and really unattractive.

Doesnt use dried oranges but a whole fresh orange decoration idea - tie a ribbon round an whole orange (like a present so it has 4 strips and a bow, I use greeon or red ribbon) but also make a long loop. Punch small holes in rows either side of the ribbon (or anywhere on the orange) and stick in cloves, then hang somewhere. Smells great and the kids like doing the cloves bit.

MissGreatBritian How do you slice the oranges and what sort do you use? Do you slice each individual segment or do you cut the orange in half or whatever and then slice across the segments iyswim?

I've just done a load. Had a disaster at first... didn't realise the site was using farenheit instead of centigrade... and had black crispy fruit which I had to chuck

I bought a bag of value oranges, one of lemons, some limes and used up the leftover fruit that was bit past it (strawberries and apples).

Cut the fruit about 3mm thick. Put on a wire rack above a baking tray in an over at about 50-60 degrees C.

Turn over after a couple of hours, then take out after a couple of hours. Any fruit not completely dry pop back in. Oranges take longer than everything else.

Tesco do big cinamon sticks for £1 from the East End (or similar) company. They look pretty but don't smell unless you break them.

I have added a couple of drops of orange essential oil to my dried fruit which seems to work well. You literally just need one or two drops.

You can then glue them together for decorations and add ribbons or chuck in a bowl as potporri. If you do that add a few cloves, a bit of powdered cinnamon and a grating of nutmeg. You can add ground Orris root too if you can find it.

Can you post pics of yours please?

I can't post pics however, DH probably can when he gets home from work

I've not made mine into decorations yet... in fact the ones I did yesterday may still be sitting in the oven

Ok I really can't post pictures. Even with DH's help.

I've taken them, put them on the computer, compressed the files... and they won't upload.

I'm going to try something else...

We are doing ours tomorrow, usually just score the orange at top and sprinkle in dried cinnamon and nutmeg decorate with cloves and dry by putting in the oven on a low setting, makes the house smell lovely.

Right, I've opened a Flickr account. Here's the link

Please excuse the slightly stained baking tray. It is my craft one and as such no longer non-stick after a bread making incident

The oranges don't work as well as the lemons and limes IMO. And plums don't work at all.

Fluffy are yours like pomanders? I'm keen to try something like that

justa Yes, kids love making them and usually pretty straight forward.

Oooh that sounds good. I am a pomander virgin though. Do you think a few hours at 55 degrees C keeping an eye would do it?

I had a recipe(??) for orange pommanders that involved putting the studded and cut oranges in a paper bag for 6-8 weeks after rolling in spices. But I don't have that time and if I could bung them in the oven that'd be great.

Can you post a picture tomorrow?

nappy - I just put the orange down so the top of it is to one side, iyswim and then do reasonably thin slices (it helps if you have a very sharp knife). I usually use just ordinary cheap oranges from the supermarket and get about 7 slices from each. I have seen some lovely "scored" whole oranges, but I think they take weeks rather than hours to dry out. I might have a go with some satsumas though.

Yes will post a pic when made.

thats the recipe i had too.. noway the dc's would/could wait 6-8 weeks though .

so we tried the oven think it was around 55 d.. but i have a new fan assisted now so i may be posting pic's of what looks like lumps of coal .

have you ever made a gingerbread house?
i have a recipe that says to use "glue" but what kind?

Thank you I'll look forward to that My oven's fan assisted and it was fine. I actually think it took longer than 4 hours for the sliced fruit because I was being a bit over cautious.

I've never made a gingerbread house (although I think I saw a receipe somewhere the other day) my DS is only 8mo so dare say in a few years... but I'd use a glue gun because I am lazy and it's quick.

You can use icing to cement gingerbread houses together and i think you can get edible glue.

JustAnother Did you use glue to stick the fruit together on your decorations?

Yes I used a glue gun. I'm getting some more little cinnamon sticks and I will use raffia and ribbon to tie those together.