The candied orange peels I would like to propose are natural, really easy, quite quick to prepare, and ready to use. They are very useful for decorating and accompanying coffee, desserts, ice creams, sorbets, and cakes. They can be eaten as they are, coated in chocolate, used in panettone, colomba, Neapolitan pastiera, on struffoli, instead of industrial candied fruits, and in all those desserts to which we want to give an extra touch. They can also become fun gift ideas. We only need peels, orange juice, sugar, a pot, and a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: approximately 10 oz
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 18 oz Orange Peel
- 9 oz Sugar
- 1 cup Orange Juice
- as needed Sugar (for decoration)
- as needed Dark Chocolate
Preparation
Wash and thoroughly scrub the oranges. Cut them and squeeze the juice into a pot.
Score the orange peel with a small knife and cut into segments (including the white part).
Place them in the pot with the sugar and juice.
Stir with a wooden spoon and let macerate for about an hour (this step is optional and allows the peels to release their essential oils).
After this time, cook the peels over medium-low heat with the lid on, stirring often and gently.
After about half an hour, remove the lid and continue cooking for another 20/25 minutes. It takes about 50 minutes to perfectly candy the peels; the white part of the peels should become almost translucent.
Drain any remaining juice (which will have turned into syrup during cooking) and place the peels on a rack (or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper) with the white side up and let them dry for a few hours. They are ready to use.
Once cooled, if desired, roll the peels in granulated sugar. Keep in mind that the peels tend to absorb the sugar on the surface; if they are for decorations, remember to let them dry for a whole day and roll them in sugar again before assembling the decorations. I use them to make bonbons, the legendary Neapolitan pastiera, on Neapolitan struffoli and so much more.
To coat with chocolate. Let the peels cool and dry for a whole day on a rack. Then, melt chocolate in a bain-marie or microwave and coat the peels.
Place the chocolate-coated peels on a baking sheet with parchment paper and wait for the chocolate to harden before eating or using them.
An extra idea. Don’t throw away the syrup, as it can be used on ice creams, puddings, in crème caramel; or to glaze desserts, etc.
Both the syrup and the candied peels should be stored in a glass jar in the fridge and will keep for up to a week.
