Dried Pineapple Flowers

Dried Pineapple FlowersMethod from Annie’s Eats
To make dried pineappleflowers, I used the method found here. In addition to that tutorial, here are a few tips and tricks I picked upalong the way:

1.      Somepeople recommend using an under-ripe pineapple since they are easier tocut.  However, you will sacrifice flavorand color by using an under-ripe pineapple.2.    Instead,use a ripe pineapple but cut it with a very sharp, serrated knife3.    Youknow a pineapple is ripe when it smells like pineapple (before you cut into it).  Under-ripe pineapples will have very littlescent.
4.    Youcan ripen pineapples at home by placing them in a brown paper sack on yourcounter.5.     Try tocut the pineapple slices as thin as possible, so that they are almost translucent.6.    If oneend is too thick, lay the slice down and very carefully shave a bit off the topwith your knife.7.     Beforeplacing the pineapple slices on baking sheets to bake/dry, place them betweentwo paper towels and press down firmly to release some of the excess juice.8.    If youcut crooked and get only a half slice (or less) don’t worry!  Simply place your pieces together like ajigsaw puzzle before pressing the liquid out. When you press they liquid out, you can press your pieced together sliceinto one cohesive slice, just be very careful when moving it to the baking sheet.9.    Bakethe slices at 225 degrees F.  Check every15 minutes, rotating the trays each time, and flipping the pineapple slicesevery 30 minutes (be careful when flipping your pieced together slices!)10. Some slices will get done faster than others.  This is mostly dependent upon the thickness ofthe slices.  As they get done, move themto ungreased muffin tins to give them a cupped shape.11.   On average, my flowers took about 1 hour 15minutes to dry.  Thinner slices wentfaster, thicker slices took longer.12. The dryerthe flowers get in the oven, the darker and more brown they will be.13. Forflowers that are more yellow in color, remove them from the oven when they aremostly dry (but still a bit tacky). Place them in the muffin trays and put them in a cool room with adehumidifier for several days, checking frequently for signs of mold orspoilage.14. Toavoid browning, you can also try using a food dehydrator (I don’t have one, soI’m not sure how this would work).15.  The flowers will maintain their shape whenremoved from the muffin tins.  However,when placed on cupcakes or cakes, the pineapple flowers will absorb some of themoisture from the frosting and will wilt within a couple hours, so only placethem on cakes/cupcakes just before serving.16. Thatbeautiful “pollen” you see in the center is the dried core of the pineapple17.  Done carefully, (and piecing together miscutpieces), one pineapple can yield at least 32 dried flowers

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