Description
Deliciously sweet and slightly bitter candied orange peels perfect for snacking or adding a citrusy twist to desserts and cocktails. This recipe guides you through peeling, boiling to reduce bitterness, candying in sugar syrup, and drying for a perfect treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Orange Peel
- 3 large oranges (untreated/organic preferred)
Sugar Syrup
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
Coating Sugar
- 1 cup superfine (caster) sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the peel: Cut off the top and bottom of each orange. Make 4 vertical incisions through the peel and pith without cutting into the fruit. Separate each quarter of the peel, including pith, from the fruit and slice lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide pieces.
- Boil the peel: Place the orange peel slices in a saucepan. Cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and repeat boiling up to 2 more times if the peel is very bitter.
- Make the sugar syrup: Clean the saucepan. Add granulated sugar and 2 cups water. Heat over medium until sugar dissolves and syrup boils.
- Candy the peels: Add orange peels to the boiling syrup. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 45 minutes until peels are soft and translucent, and syrup thickens to soft ball stage (235°F – 245°F).
- Drain: Remove from heat. Once syrup stops bubbling, strain peels over a heatproof bowl and reserve syrup for other uses.
- Coat the candied peels in sugar: Pour superfine sugar into a wide shallow bowl. Toss candied peels in sugar using tongs or forks to coat and separate them.
- Let the peels dry: Spread sugared peels in a single layer on parchment-lined sheet pan or wire rack. Let dry uncovered at room temperature for at least 12 hours or overnight until no longer tacky.
- Storage: Store dried candied orange peels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- You can boil the peels up to 3 times to reduce bitterness, especially for more bitter citrus like lemons or grapefruit.
- The reserved syrup can be diluted and used as a sweetener for cocktails, lemonade, pancakes, or desserts.
- To dilute syrup, simmer with 1/4 cup water, cool, strain, and store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
- If superfine sugar is unavailable, pulse granulated sugar briefly in a food processor to a fine grain resembling table salt.
- Use organic or untreated oranges to avoid pesticide residues on peel since the peel is consumed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
