How to Make Beautiful Dried Pineapple Flowers: A Simple Guide

How to make Dried Pineapple Flowers

 

• 1 small whole pineapple

1. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 100°C fan-forced (or 120°C conventional). Place two wire racks on top of two large oven trays to allow airflow while drying the pineapple slices.
2. Prepare the Pineapple: Start by removing both ends of the pineapple. Peel the pineapple carefully, cutting close enough to remove the "eyes" without wasting too much of the fruit.
3. Slice Thinly: Use a mandolin to slice the pineapple into thin 3mm slices. A mandolin is ideal for getting even, thin slices, but if you don’t have one, you can use a sharp knife to slice as thinly as possible.
4. Dry the Pineapple: Lay the pineapple slices on absorbent paper towels and pat them dry to remove excess moisture. Place the slices in a single layer on the prepared wire racks.
5. Bake: Place the trays in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour, flipping the slices halfway through to ensure even drying. Keep an eye on the slices as thicker pieces may take longer. You’re aiming for lightly coloured slices that are drying out but still flexible. Be careful not to let the slices become too brown and crisp.
6. Shape the Flowers: While the pineapple slices are still hot, carefully press them into the holes of two egg cartons or a mini muffin pan to form the flower shape as they cool and set.
7. Store the Flowers: Once cooled, store the pineapple flowers uncovered in the egg cartons or on a tray at room temperature. These can be made the day before your event.

• If some of your pineapple flowers haven’t fully dried and become stiff, you can place them back in the oven for a little more time. Just be cautious not to let them brown too much. You can loosely cover them with foil to protect them from over-browning while they finish drying.
• Flowers made from thicker slices will take longer to dry, so keep an eye on them and adjust the baking time as needed.