In a shallow baking dish, make a liquid mixture of:

2 cups bottled lemon juice
1 tablespoon salt

Set aside.

3 to 5 medium red skinned apples (approx. 56 slices from 3 medium apples)

Slice red skinned apples with a 3 mm slicing disc in a food processor.  Submerge slices in liquid mixture for 2 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Arrange on racks to dry, following manufacturer’s directions if using a food dehydrator.

Slices may be dried in a convection oven with heat setting at low (150°) and door of oven open 1 inch, or in a conventional oven with heat on lowest setting, turning off periodically, and oven light on.  Door should be open slightly.  Cake racks are recommended for drying in conventional oven. 

Check oven periodically to make sure temperature is not too high, as scorching could result.

Dry slices until slices feel leathery and pliable, and no moisture is exhibited when a slice is squeezed.  Time will vary, however, approximately 1 hour in conventional oven at warm setting is a good time to begin checking.

Cut a wreath shape from cardboard 7 inches in diameter for a base.  Arrange 20-22 slices in overlapping pattern around cardboard. Glue with hot glue gun or a craft tacky type glue. For a 10 inch diameter, arrange 33-35 slices in overlapping pattern.*

To trim, hang 2 pieces of stick cinnamon, 1-1/2 – 2 inches in length by yarn or narrow ribbon from center top slice, and attach a bow at the top.

*Width of circle from outer edge to inner edge should be 1-1/2 inches.

NOTE: For cardboard, 10 inch cake circles from a cake decorating supply store are perfect.  You can get a 10 inch wreath and a 6-3/4 inch wreath from 1 10 inch cake circle.

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