Spiceupyour Yuletide wreath

Thesegorgeouslittledecorative accents are rustic, charming andsupereasy tomakeat home, findsKylie

Tis the season to dry some orange slices, fa la la la lah, la la la lah. If you spend any time on Instagram or Pinterest, you’ll have seen these little slivers of sunny joy popping up.

Dotting Christmas trees, rustic kitchens and country windowsills, they tell a fragrant tale of their owner’s crafty prowess and ability to turn something otherwise perishable into a decorative accent that can last an entire season – maybe even longer.

They’re absolutely marvellous, and what’s more, you can make them yourself in amatter of hours.

What you’ll need

■ Two oranges

■ A sharp knife and chopping board

■ Awire rack that can go in the oven.

That’s it! You can also do this in amicrowave, which is handy if you want a really bright orange, but a littlemessy.

A dehydrator will also give you good results, although thatwill take much longer and won’t make your kitchen smell nearly as nice and festive.

Method

Set your oven to bake at about 110 degrees Celsius – you can do this faster at a higher temperature, but you’ll need to keep a close eye on the slices or they’ll burn.

I stuffed up a couple of mine by trying to go faster. You can’t rush this – make yourself a cup of tea and relax.

Slice the oranges about 1cm, or slightly thinner, and lay them out on the rack.

Two large oranges will give you about

14 or 15 slices, which should be enough to decorate a standard wreath or tree.

Pop the tray in the oven for one to two hours, and that’s all there is to it.

You don’t need any oil or foil under them. The rack will stop the slices from sticking too much. But it’s a good idea to turn them regularly for the first 20 or so minutes. Do keep an eye on them (and enjoy the scent of orange oils roasting), as smaller or thinner slices will dry out more quickly and can discolour or burn.

They’re ready when the rinds are hard, even though the centres might be rubbery or even a little damp.

Use

They will continue to dry out if you hang them on the tree or use them in a decoration.

Pop a hole through the jelly-like flesh, string it with a bright ribbon or bit of tinsel and hang it on your tree.

Alternatively, you can add a little florist wire and spruce up an old wreath, or dried flower arrangement. You can also add the slices to other craft projects like homemade candles or Christmas cards.

They should last as long as you like, and could even be stored for use again next year.

KYLIE KLEIN-NIXON/ STUFF You too can make Instagramworthy orange slices in your very own oven. Slice a couple of oranges, lay them on a wire rack and bake for between one and two hours.