It’s the beginning of December so I feel like I can well and truly get in the festive spirit. This week I’ll be unpacking the decorations box, hanging up my wreath on the front door and maybe, just maybe, having my first mince pie of the season. Yesterday I shared with you my first Christmas gift guide, but today I’m thinking even further ahead to the Christmas table with a little help from Pink Lady® Apples.
I’m all for keeping the Christmas table natural and relaxed, with big bunches of seasonal flowers, lots of greenery and romantic candlelight. On the day I’ll be gathering plain white flowers or stems of fragrant eucalyptus in a vase, or perhaps creating a centrepiece around some chunky pillar candles. But what about each place setting? Instead of a plopping down the cutlery and folding a paper napkin, here you can create a little moment of delight for each guest or loved one, whether its a cluster of foliage wrapped around a napkin or a handwritten name tag.
I’ve been experimenting with drying fruit, coupled with some sticks of cinnamon and a sprig of holly for a natural, sweet smelling Christmas table decoration. Dried apples are super easy to make, even for a DIY phobe like me. There’s no glue or technical twiddly bits that require an instruction manual, just the natural shape of the fruit thinly sliced.
Their delicate wafer-thin rounds already have a perfect little star-shaped hole in the middle, ready for hanging or tying with string. The bright pink shade of the Pink Lady® Apple also creates a festive red touch to an otherwise neutral colour palette. I’ve tied three together to make a napkin ring but you could also use them to spruce up a plain wreath or hang them on your Christmas tree.
Method
You will need:
– A couple of apples (I used Pink Lady® Apples)
– Juice of one lemon
– An oven, and that’s pretty much it!
Heat the oven to 90C
Slice the apples thinly with a sharp knife or mandolin
Soak them in a solution of lemon juice diluted with water for 15 minutes (this is to stop them browning)
Gently pat them dry and lay them out on a baking sheet
Cook in the over for 2 hours, turning them over after 1 hour
Turn the oven off, leave the door open and leave them to cool, et voila!
How do you like to dress your Christmas table? Have you ever tried drying fruit?
Styling and photography: cate st hill
This post was written in collaboration with Pink Lady® Apples, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
