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Candied Orange Peel

Plain sugar-coated candied orange peel mixed with dark-chocolate-dipped strips on a white platter.
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Homemade candied orange peel turns fresh orange rind into tender, sweet citrus strips with a sparkling sugar coating, ready for gifting, baking or serving with coffee.

Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Trim the top and bottom from each orange. Score the skin into quarters without cutting deeply into the flesh. Lift off the peel sections and cut lengthwise into strips about ¼ inch wide. Leave most of the white pith attached to help the finished peel stay tender. Reserve the fruit for another use.
  2. Cover the strips with water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook 15 minutes. Drain, rinse and return to the saucepan. Cover with fresh water and boil another 15 minutes. Drain and rinse again. For less bitterness, complete one additional 15-minute blanch in fresh water.
  3. Combine 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water in the emptied saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until dissolved. Add the drained peel and maintain a gentle simmer for 45–60 minutes, stirring gently occasionally, until strips look translucent and liquid thickens into syrup.
  4. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Put coating sugar in a shallow bowl. Lift several strips with a slotted spoon or tongs, let excess syrup drain back into the pan and turn in sugar to coat. Arrange in a single layer on the rack, separated. Leave at room temperature 24–48 hours until coating is dry and strips are no longer wet or sticky.

Equipment

Notes

Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes. Drying time: 24–48 hours. Allow 25 hours 40 minutes to 50 hours 10 minutes including prep, cooking and drying. The time fields show the upper end of each range.

Substitutions: Replace the orange peel with a similar amount of lemon, lime or grapefruit peel. Thicker or more bitter peels may benefit from the third blanch.

Serving: Keep some strips plain and sugar coated. Dip one end of some fully dried strips in melted dark chocolate and let the chocolate set. Serve with coffee or tea, or chop peel for fruitcake, cookies, scones and sweet breads. Small strips make a cake or cocktail garnish.

Without sugar coating: For baking or immediate use, drain the cooked peel and let it cool. Sugar coating and extended drying are optional when using immediately or freezing.

Storage: Once fully dry, keep sugar-coated peel airtight in a cool, dry place for up to 1 month. Refrigerate for longer storage, separating layers with parchment.

Freezing: Freeze cooled peel, coated or uncoated, airtight for up to 3 months with parchment between layers. Thaw in the refrigerator. If coating becomes tacky, spread on a rack to dry before serving.

Find it online: https://jennifercooks.com/candied-orange-peel/