Chocolate-Dipped Oranges

Three ingredients. Fifteen minutes of actual work. Chocolate-dipped oranges are one of those desserts that look like they came from a candy shop but couldn’t be simpler to make at home.

Six oranges get separated into sections, each one dipped halfway into melted semi-sweet chocolate and set on wax paper to chill. The combination of bright, juicy citrus and dark, snappy chocolate is a flavor pairing that never gets old.

The shortening mixed into the chocolate isn’t for flavor. It keeps the chocolate smooth and glossy and prevents it from blooming (turning white and chalky) as it sets. A double boiler keeps the heat gentle, which is important because overheated chocolate seizes into a grainy mess.

Kitchen Tips

• Pat each orange section dry with a paper towel before dipping. Any moisture on the fruit will cause the chocolate to seize on contact.
• Remove the chocolate from the heat before dipping. It stays fluid long enough to dip all the sections, and off-heat melting prevents scorching.
• Dip each section about halfway, leaving some orange visible. It looks more elegant and gives you a grip that won’t smear the chocolate.
• Refrigerate on wax paper for 30 minutes until the chocolate is completely firm.

Variations

• Use white chocolate for half the sections and dark chocolate for the other half for a visual contrast.
• Sprinkle flaky sea salt or crushed pistachios on the wet chocolate before it sets.
• Try this with clementine or blood orange sections for a smaller, more intense citrus bite.