Description
A delightful homemade recipe for candied orange peel that transforms fresh orange zest into sweet, soft, and tangy treats perfect for snacking or garnishing desserts and cocktails.
Ingredients
Scale
Peels
- 3 large untreated or organic oranges
Syrup
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
Coating
- 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 with pith from the fruit. Slice the peel lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips.
- Boil the peel: Place peel strips in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover by one inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and repeat boiling up to two more times if the peels taste very bitter.
- Make the sugar syrup: Clean the saucepan, add 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water, and heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves and the syrup boils.
- Candy the peels: Add the orange peels to the boiling syrup, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently for 45 minutes until the peels are soft, pith translucent, and syrup thickened to soft ball stage (235°F–245°F).
- Drain: Remove pan from heat and strain the peels over a heatproof bowl, reserving the syrup for other uses.
- Coat the candied peels in sugar: Toss the peels in superfine sugar using tongs or forks to coat and separate any stuck pieces.
- Let the peels dry: Spread peels on a parchment-lined sheet pan or wire rack and let them 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
- Boil the peels up to three times to reduce bitterness; more bitter citrus like lemons or grapefruit may require two or three blanchings.
- The reserved syrup is a concentrated sweetener perfect for cocktails, mocktails, lemonade, iced tea, or drizzling over pancakes and fruit dishes.
- To dilute the syrup, simmer it with 1/4 cup water, cool, strain, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
- If superfine sugar is unavailable, pulse granulated sugar briefly in a food processor until granules resemble fine table salt, careful not to over-process into powdered sugar.
- This recipe yields approximately 10 servings suitable for a snack or garnish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece (approx. 15g)
- Calories: 60 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
