Candied Orange Peel

Candied orange peel is one of those confections that takes patience but almost no skill. Eight oranges, sugar, and water. The technique is all about removing the bitter compounds from the pith through repeated blanching before the candy-making even starts.

Five rounds of boiling in fresh cold water is the critical step. Each blanch leaches more bitterness from the white pith until what’s left is tender, mellow rind ready to absorb sugar syrup. Skip a round and you’ll taste it; the finished candy will have a harsh, bitter edge that no amount of sugar can mask.

After blanching, the strips simmer in a simple syrup for about 30 minutes until all the liquid evaporates and the peel turns translucent. Watch the pan closely toward the end; once the syrup is gone, the sugar starts to caramelize and the peel can scorch in seconds. Rolling the cooled strips in granulated sugar gives them that sparkly, crystallized coating.

Chef Tips

• Save orange halves in the fridge over several weeks until you have enough for a batch; the tip in this recipe is a good one
• Cut strips to a uniform ¼ inch width so they cook evenly in the syrup
• Stir gently as the syrup reduces; aggressive stirring breaks the softened strips
• Dry the sugar-rolled strips on wax paper for several hours until they’re no longer tacky, then store in airtight containers

Variations

• Chocolate dipped: Dip one end of each strip in tempered dark chocolate for a classic confection
• Lemon or grapefruit: The same technique works for any citrus; grapefruit may need a sixth blanching round
• Spiced: Add a cinnamon stick and 2 whole cloves to the sugar syrup while simmering