Festive Fruit Garlands

by Stephanie H, Sprague Branch

One of the best parts of winter is that citrus fruits are in season. A dried citrus garland is an inexpensive way to spruce up your decor and bring some sunshine to the gray winter months. 

I made this garland with 2 oranges and a grapefruit.

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees, do not go any higher than this because you will end up burning your fruit. 

First you will need to slice your fruit, about ¼ of an inch, you can just eyeball it. Thicker slices will not end up dehydrating all the way.

Arrange your slices on a baking sheet and put them in the oven. The key to  getting the oranges dehydrated is to be patient, this will take a few hours. After the fruit has been in the oven for an hour, take them out, flip them, and put them back in for another 2 hours. Make sure to check on them occasionally to make sure they do not burn. 

Burnt slices will take on a brownish color and will feel brittle.

After the final two hours, take the slices out of the oven and place them on a cooling rack (if you have it, if not, just leave them on the cookie sheet) The fruit will need to rest for a few hours or over night. 

To string the oranges, I cut a hole in the fruit and tied it to a long string. 

The oranges should last through the winter and then you can compost or toss them after!