Components
- Half a pineapple
Setup phase
- Set the oven to 90°C (low heat) – if your oven doesn’t have this setting, choose the lowest temperature available and monitor it closely, as cooking times may differ depending on the oven.
- Remove the crown and peel the pineapple. Use a vegetable knife to carefully slice along the surface, removing the “eyes” while maintaining the fruit’s shape.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the pineapple into very thin strips – the thinner the slices, the quicker they will dry. Aim to maintain a consistent pattern so they dehydrate evenly. Pat the pineapple slices dry with a paper towel or dishcloth, then spread them out on two large baking trays side by side, making sure they do not overlap.
- Place in the oven and bake for approximately 1 hour until they begin to dry. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and flip the slices using a fork. Return them to the oven and continue baking for an additional 40 minutes until they are golden, dry, yet still flexible.
- Take the baking pan out of the oven and quickly press the warm slices into mini muffin molds (or sticky molds) to shape them. Be careful: this needs to be done swiftly as the slices cool rapidly and may crack.
- Switch off the oven and place the flower-shaped panties back inside with the oven off. Allow them to dry until they become firm, dry, and maintain their flower shape. Remove them and use them to decorate cakes, pies, salads, or as a snack.
Methods for storage
If you don’t use the pineapple flowers on the same day, store them in a pot with an airtight lid or in a tightly covered bowl wrapped with plastic film for up to one week. If the flowers become soft, place them back in a low-temperature oven to dry again.
