Candied Orange Peel

Candied Orange Peel delivers citrusy sweetness with a subtle tang. Use in baked goods and desserts, to garnish drinks, or as part of a cheese tray.

When I was a child in Atlantic City, a step in any direction led to magic: the ocean and beach, the boardwalk and piers, the characters and curiosities, and every kind of food you could ever imagine. One of the places we loved the most was the A.L. Roth candy shop. They had THE BEST chewy almond macaroons (“The Original Boardwalk Macaroons”) that set the bar for all almond cookies I’ve had since. They also had a HUGE variety of candied and dried fruit, which, back then, wasn’t something many stores carried.

It was at Roth’s that I first discovered candied oranges; they sold the shiny citrus slices half-dipped in chocolate. My favorite part was the peel – a sublimely sweet and slightly bitter confection that captivated my culinary heart. It was love at first bite.

Because I constantly craved candied orange peel, my Aunt Lily taught me how to make my own.  After demonstrating how to score the peel then separate it from the citrus and slice it, my Aunt shared this kitchen wisdom: “The most important step,” she told me, “is to boil the peels three times so the pith won’t be harsh.” She went on to say if you only boiled them two times they wouldn’t taste good, but if you boiled them four times they might be mushy. As rumored throughout the ages, the third time really is the charm.

The rest of the recipe is fairly straightforward – simmering the citrus in simple syrup – but step 4 in the directions is extra important so I will say it here too. Pay particular attention to the italicized text:

• “Add the peel to the syrup and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a medium simmer and cook until the peels are soft and start to look translucent. When they are ready the pith almost looks pale green.  Do not stir during this phase or the syrup may start to form crystals. If you absolutely have to stir it, pick up the whole pot and swirl it instead.“ 

Once the peels are done and have cooled in the syrup, remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon and place on a baking rack to dry. Remember to put something under the rack to catch the drips – a cookie sheet works well.  I usually put the whole deal in the toaster oven – with the heat off, of course – so they dry without attracting dust or winged things (ew).  The simple syrup that is left in the pot will be infused with a fabulous orange flavor – be sure to have a bottle or jar on hand so you can save it. It is fantastic in beverages.

After the Candied Orange Peel is set, some cooks roll it in sugar, but I almost never do.  I will, however, occasionally dip them in chocolate, a nod to my shore days. See the “Recipe Notes” section below for details.

Tips

• Select organic oranges to ensure you aren’t ingesting pesticides.
• Trim the peels with a paring knife or scissors as needed to refine the shape for your presentation.
• In addition to oranges, you can candy peels from other citrus including grapefruit, lemons, limes, etc.
• Store peels in an airtight container. They will keep a week at room temperature, a month if refrigerated.

Use Candied Orange Peel to garnish this Chocolate Chai Pots de Crème recipe. 

If you enjoyed this Candied Orange Peel recipe, try this Cherry Chutney and these Bourbon Soaked Cherries.

Print Recipe

Candied Orange Peel Recipe

Candied Orange Peel delivers citrus sweetness with a subtle tang. Use in baked goods and desserts, to garnish drinks, or as part of a cheese tray.

Recipe by~ Reese Amorosi

Votes: 2
Rating: 5
You:

Rate this recipe!

Course

Cheese Tray, Dessert, Garnish

Cuisine

Vegetarian

Keyword

Candied Fruit, Candied Orange Peel, Citrus, Confections, Fruit, Garnish, Vegetarian

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

1 hour

Passive Time

24 hours

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 4 oranges
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water plus additional water to boil the peel 3 times

Course Cheese Tray, Dessert, Garnish Cuisine Vegetarian Keyword Candied Fruit, Candied Orange Peel, Citrus, Confections, Fruit, Garnish, Vegetarian Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 1 hour Passive Time 24 hours Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 4 oranges 2 cups sugar 2 cups water plus additional water to boil the peel 3 times

Votes: 2 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

1. Wash the oranges thoroughly. Cut the top and bottom off, then score the orange peel vertically into four quarters. Be sure to only cut through the peel and pith, but leave the orange intact. Carefully remove the peel from the orange, then cut into ¼ inch strips.
2. Place orange strips in a sauce pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a hard simmer for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse the peel in cold water.  Repeat this process three times – this will remove the bitterness from the peels.
3. Begin the simple syrup by placing two cups of sugar and two cups of water in a sauce pot.  Heat on medium, stirring constantly until all of the sugar is dissolved. 
4. Add the peel to the syrup and bring to boil. Reduce heat to a medium simmer and cook until the peels are soft and start to look translucent. When they are ready the pith almost looks pale green.  Do not stir during this phase or the syrup may start to form crystals. If you absolutely have to stir it, pick up the whole pot and swirl it instead.

   
5. Remove from heat and leave the peel in the syrup to cool. Once cooled, remove the peels with a slotted spoon and place on baking rack to dry overnight. Save the remaining simple syrup in a jar or bottle and refrigerate - it is fantastic in beverages.
6. Use candied orange peel to garnish desserts and beverages, as part of a cheese tray, etc. Store the dry candied orange peel in an airtight jar or container for up to 7 days at room temperature, or a month in the refrigerator.

Recipe Notes

For Chocolate Dipped Candied Orange Peel:

Start with the completed Candied Orange Peel recipe above. Melt approximately 8 oz of the chocolate of your choice in a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Use a fork or tongs to dip the peel in the chocolate - I like to do half, but dipping the whole peel is nice too.

As you dip each peel each peel place it on a silicone baking sheet or a regular baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to let them set, then remove from the sheet and store in an airtight container. Use in 5-7 days.