They may have shriveled from dehydration but as long as they aren’t mouldy, they are not done yet. Citrus fruit has a second sweet life as candy and all you need is sugar, water, cinnamon sticks and time.
A dehydrator is excellent if you have an herb garden and wish to keep your own fresh flavours over the winter. It really is just a nice to have item, though, because your oven with oven light will do almost the same job (a la easy bake.) Simply turn on the heat to its lowest temperature preferably on convection setting to move the air but even this is a luxury. Any herb will dry nicely on a cooling rack, in the oven like this for an hour and then just left overnight with the oven light on and the door closed.
These candied oranges can be done this way too or in a dehydrator. Wash about 6 mandarin oranges in a
vinegar and water solution and dry with a paper towel. Slice as evenly and thinly as possible, squeezing any juice from end pieces into a large low pot. Into the large low pot add 1 ½ cups water and 1 ½ cups sugar.
Lay orange slices into water and bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer uncovered for 1 to 1 ½ hours until white pith becomes translucent. Place wax paper on the counter and lay cooling rack or dehydrating rack on top.
Lift oranges from syrup and lay either onto a cooling rack and let drip onto wax paper for 10 minutes. Place either into dehydrator at 105 °F for 8 to 12 hours or into oven at 140 °F convection method for 12 hours with the light on.
Store in the cupboard in an airtight jar for up to 3 months and use as candy, cake toppers, garnish or on charcuterie plates.
Save the syrup too — it is great as a sweetener for iced tea, topping vanilla ice cream, pouring over pancakes, or dip flower petals into the syrup and lay on top of orange slices and allow to dry with the fruit.
