Day 2: Orange Spice Infused Vodka
12 Days of Tasty Gifts
This festive Orange Spiced Vodka is just the thing to make your holiday party merry and bright. With orange peel, cloves, and cinnamon, it’s perfect for gifts, hostess gifts or all your holiday gatherings!
Hello, World!
Orange Spiced Infused Vodka
Ingredients
- 3 large oranges
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 liter vodka
Instructions
- Wash oranges well.
- Using a potato peeler or zester, take all or the orange rinds off the oranges so there is no white pith on the rind. Only remove the orange part, otherwise orangecello will be bitter.
- Put the peeled rind of the oranges into a large pitcher with 4 whole cloves and 1 liter vodka.
- Cover with plastic wrap and store in a cool, dark place for 10 days or up to a month, stirring occasionally. Strain through a sieve lined with cheese cloth and pour into glass bottles.
Notes
I like to gift these in cute little glass bottles.
Optional: Attach dried orange slices to the bottles.
- Preheat the oven to 200°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a mandoline or sharp serrated knife, slice the oranges very thinly (about ⅛ to ¼ inch). The thinner the slices, the quicker they will dry out.
- Gently blot with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- Arrange on the baking sheet with a little bit of space between each slice.
- Bake at 200°F for 2-4 hours, flipping every 30 minutes to make sure the orange slices don't burn.
- Flipping the slices also gives you a chance to check how dry they are. Some pieces will dry more quickly than others so go ahead and remove them. [This is especially important to keep in mind if you're drying various types/sizes of citrus!]
- If the slices begin to brown but don't feel dry, that's a sign your oven is too hot!
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely to room temperature before storing. (directions by barley and sage)
Uses for dried oranges
Holiday Garland
You can easily make dehydrated orange slices into a beautiful Holiday Garland or Christmas tree ornament. After dehydrating, simply string slices together and wrap around your tree. An orange slice garland doesn’t just have to be for the tree, you can hang it off a mantle, coffee table, windowsill, or on the wall. You’ll impress your guests, your home will smell beautiful, and you will be able to put extra oranges to use.
Mulling Spices
Nothing quite hits the spot like mulled wine or cider. I love keeping some of my dried orange slices specifically for the winter, so I can make plenty of excuses to mull wine and cider! Simply mix some dried orange peels with cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Then heat slowly on a stove with wine or cider.
Potpourri
Easily add dried orange slices or peels to other dried goods such as flowers, pine cones, and spices for a beautiful bounty of potpourri.
Garnish for a Beverage
Dried orange slices can placed on the rim of a glass to garnish a beautiful winter cocktail or beverage. You can even throw the orange slices into the drink as well for a nice twist.
Make Dried Orange Peel Zest
Once you dry out our orange slices, you can grind them in a blender or coffee grinder, and keep it in your cabinet whenever orange zest is needed in baking recipes.
Added to a Homemade Candle
If you’re looking for a fun DIY project, dried orange slices and orange peels can be a fun way to spice up home-made candles. You can either grind them and mix them into the wax, or break up chunks to accent the outer side of the candle. Too much of a DIY task? That doesn’t mean you can’t still get the same effect! Dried orange slices can be a great decor surrounding a candle in a hurricane candle holder.
Make Orange Flavored Salt or Sugar
Once your orange peels are completely dried, you can easily grind them in a blender or coffee grinder. Once ground into small bits, mix with salt or sugar for flavoring. Want to go the extra mile?
This list comes from Stephanie Voytek