I’m so excited to finally be adding this recipe to the blog. Chocolate covered candied orange peels are by far one of my favorite sweets. The candied-bitter tanginess of the orange peel combined with the deep dark chocolate just make a perfect combination for a sweet break during the day.
The tastes always remind me of the bustling Carmel market in Tel-Aviv, these were my fathers favorite snacks and I discovered my love for it through him, already as a young child. The inner peel is soft and moist, sweet yet tangy and melts in your mouth. Their sophisticated, refreshing taste makes it an excellent way to end a meal.
I love making small edible gifts for friends and family, and am always on the lookout for special sweets that are easily packed and keep fresh for a while. These are always fashionable, special and easily last a month if sealed well. And they make such a cute gift when packed nicely and by choosing the right ribbon, fit for any occasion. These were made as Christmas gifts last year.
You can also make these from lemon peels, bloog orange, grapefruit and even lime, but my personal favorite is always oranges.
How to make them at home
Even though candied orange peels have become quite popular and can be found in speciality chocolate stores, I think making these at home always brings the best result. It’s fresh, you can choose your favorite dark chocolate and it’s kinda of cool to have made these yourself for a quarter of the price.
First, cut the oranges in half and remove the inner content. (I like to use a Citrus Juicer like this one to get all the wonderful juices out for a fresh cup of orange juice, then remove the rest of the inside and keep only the outer peel).
Let them soak in water for a night, and boil them the following day three times, each time in fresh cold water. This helps clean and release all the bitterness before starting the candying process.
Next, I cut them in long stripes, about 1cm thick and add then to a large pot with sugar and water. Simmer for a couple hours, making sure the syrup coveres all orange stripes.
Then, remove the orange peels and place them to cool on some parchment paper
You can dry them out for an hour or even for the entire night. Some recipes call to sugar coat them them at this step, rolling each stripe in granulated sugar. I personally prever to skip this step and keep the sweetness balanced.
Melt some dark chocolate and cover each one seperately
Let the chocolate harden up completely and store in an airtight container or wrap them up nicely as gifts.
- 6 Oranges
- 4 Cups Sugar
- 2 Cup Water (reserved from last boil)
- 4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 300 Grams dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 4 Teaspoons Vegetable or Coconut oil
- Wash oranges well, scrubbing out any dirt
- Cut in half and scoop out the inner flesh. Place the orange shells in a large bowl with water and cover with a small plate, holding the orange shells down in the water. Let soak for 5 hours or keep overnight. Replace with fresh water once during this time.
- Cut each shell in half and place in a large sauce pan. Add water to cover and bring to a boil for about 15-20 minutes. Repeat this step three times, then strain the orange peels, keeping 2 cups of water from your last boil aside.
- Once oranges are cool to handle, cut each piece into long stripes and place back in the sauce pan. Add sugar and reserved water and bring to a simmer over low heat.
- Simmer gently, stirring occasionally over low heat for about 1½ - 2 hours, until liquid is reduced by over a half.
- Add lemon juice and stir to coat the strips
- Drain the orange strips (keep syrup for other uses if desired) and spread on a baking sheet. Allow to cool completely
- Reserve ⅔ of the chocolate and place the rest of the chocolate with the oil on top of a double boiler or pulse melt in the microwave until just melted. Then add the remaining chocolate and stir well until completely melted.
- Using two forks, cover each orange strip in the chocolate and set back on a clean baking sheet to harden (place in fridge if it's a warm day)
- Store in airtight container for up to three months
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