This happy discovery came to me when I was experimenting with drying mandarins to use in homemade soap (i putz a lot with making stuff) …
well
I had no idea how delicious these slices would be to eat on their own! I mean, truly like candy… there’s plenty of dried fruit and fruit leathers available out there for purchase but many of them (and recipes featuring them like candied citrus) call for additional sugar and let me tell you, there is no need! They are abundantly sweet on their own – the drying process concentrates the sweetness while creating crispy edges and a chewy interior …. why yes, it’s nature’s macaron.
I don’t add anything to these — there’s a reflex when developing recipes to want to add a little touch of this and a pinch of that (herbs, spices, etc) to somehow make it more worthy but I’m okay resting in the embarrassing simplicity of this one. I feel like the add-ons would only detract from the flavor of the orange which is in its glory right now.
I’m using mandarins from our yard, they are not perfectly spherical (in the way of a navel orange) which I think only adds to the character of these pieces. The cooking method brings a burst of heat initially followed by low and slow to achieve that oh so desirable combo of crispy/chewy. Also that colour…
FAVOURITE WAYS TO ENJOY THESE ORANGE CITRUS SLICES:
- eat them! (zero sugar added and indisputably delicious – makes a great gift too)
- flavour your tea
- add to sparkling water (pictured)
- top a cocktail (so so pretty)
- decorate your dessert (I’ve used them to decorate chocolate mousse — salted chocolate mousse pots with a dollop of cream and a wedge of orange✨)
- decorate gifts (pictured)
- decorate the tree ~ makes a beautiful ornament (especially when it catches the light, a bit like stained glass) also great for decorating wreaths and tablescapes.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- Choose a seasonal variety of orange that is not too large (they tend to be sweeter and dehydrate better within the time frame; also work better for garnishing — I’m using satsuma mandarins)
- This is all about the orange – eating the peel & all – so I highly recommend organic if possible
- Cut the slices quite thin (1/8″ range is ideal) if they are too thick, it will take forever to dehydrate them and they won’t crisp up as well but too thin, they will burn (or get really dark, not the amber colour you see) NB: if you like them extra crispy cook them longer or slice even thinner just watch them closely so they don’t burn (they make take less time)
- Store them in an airtight container (mason jar with lid works great) to prevent softening
Let me know how it goes if you give them a try!
- 6-8 small to medium sized seasonal oranges (highly recommend organic) -- enough to fill a baking sheet once sliced (i'm using satsuma mandarins) -- you can also double the batch if you like
- THAT'S IT
- Preheat oven to 300F
- Thoroughly wash oranges and cut about ⅛" thick slices (I do this by hand but if you have a mandoline that can cut this size, that great too) -- you want them thick enough so that they don't burn but not too thick otherwise they won't dry out or crisp up. Don't worry if your slices aren't precisely the same width - mine aren't.
- I like to further cut some of the slices in half - this creates variations in shapes and sizes and can also create some curling around the edges of the smaller pieces which I love.
- Arrange the oranges on a parchment lined baking sheet such that they are not overlapping.
- Place in oven at 300F for 40 minutes and then remove from oven, lower the oven temp to 200F, flip the segments over and return to oven for approximately 2 + ½ hours (the precise time will vary depending on size and thickness of your slices as well as your particular oven - you can start checking at 2 hours) -- you want the pieces to be mostly dry but not overdone -- there should still be a little stickiness to them especially towards the center. They will continue to dry up a bit and set once out of oven. If you prefer them crispier just cook them a little longer or slice a little thinner keeping a close eye on them so they don't burn.
- Remove from oven and set the tray on a cooling rack to allow segments to fully cool before enjoying - about 20 minutes (I keep them on the tray for this). Tip: if there are a few slices that still feel overly wet on the underbelly, just slide those back into the oven to bake them longer to desired dryness. Sample to your hearts content and store whatever remains in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. The dryer these slices are, the longer they will last; when fully dry to use as a decoration etc. they can last years. As an edible, I suggest upwards of 1 month when properly stored, then it's time to make a new batch!
Success! Easy to make, clear instructions and they look amazing, so tasty too. I ended up putting them back in the oven for another 20 minutes at the end because they were still a bit sticky and I like the extra crisp finish :-) Thank you so much for this delightful recipe, I’m going to use some for my Christmas garland and make more!
so happy to read your note, thank you for sharing your experience with these, so helpful. I’m thrilled they worked out for you and I’m going to add garlands to the list of how to enjoy (how did i miss that :) such a great way to use; cheers and thanks again for taking the time to drop in.
Well how easy is this?! Unfortunately, I’m not growing my own mandarins as some people are able to do :), but it is Cara Cara time and I love those sweet oranges. They should work great candied like this. Time to send Bobby back to Costco for a flat of Cara Cara.
well, you did grow much better tomatoes than i did this year ;d love cara cara! x
I am loving this, they are not only gorgeous but look delicious and seem super easy to make. I just love the look in a drink (thinking of Blanche de Chambley, in particular). Nicely done.
ah, thanks Eva, yeah, the thing that surprised me the most was how good they taste! who knew… should have brought some blanche de chambley back with me in Sept:) cheers, x.
Such a great idea! Orange would go perfectly with the mulled cider we make. Do you think I can freeze them?
now that’s an interesting question… so theoretically if these were bone dry (dust dry) they would last to eternity:) but they are mostly dry and the magic is in that in between texture of crunchiness around the edges and slight chewiness in the center– I haven’t done the experiment but my instincts are telling me that you might lose that crispy quality if you freeze them — you could try to recrisp them in the oven after thawed but it would be an experiment… keeping them in an airtight jar will help preserve them though, so that might be your best route; good luck! i’ll be thinking of that mulled cider… sounds wonderful.
Kelly
Perfect timing.
Catherine and I were just looking at your Blog to find the perfect recipe.
Voila c’est fait, here it is ✨
You are loved🎄
Oh, yay, so glad this caught your eye ladies… happy December 1st to you both ✨ have fun creating you two… love you, x.
Wow, these are beautiful!! I’ve always wanted to try but didn’t know I could make them in my oven, I don’t have a dehydrator. Love how simple they are, will give them a go! Thank you .
thank you so much… yes! it’s possible to make these in the oven which is very exciting (i don’t have a dehydrator either) – could not be simpler – hands on time is minimal, all the magic happens in the oven :) (well really in the earth and then the oven haha), thanks for dropping by.