Orange Peel

You will notice that there are very few sweets on this blog, thats because i am not a baker. I am not really a sweet eater.  But i wouldn't be human if i didn't have a favorite treat. That one thing that I dont get very often. For me it was a treat you could only find once a year in the small specialty candy shop. Candied Orange Peals. Most people think this is the strangest thing they have ever heard of. For me it is the perfect treat. Not to sweet, just enough bite. Even dipped in a bit of chocolate its perfect (i am not a chocolate fan). However its a labor of love to make.  So when I decided to make my own...I made a ton. ;P it keeps well in air tight containers.

Ingredients

• 9 oranges
• Water, to cover peels
• 3 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup sugar, optional
• 26 ounces bittersweet chocolate, optional

Directions

Using a sharp knife, cut each orange into quarters. Remove the fruit from the peel, leaving the white membrane or pith attached to the peel. Save the fruit for another use. Slice each quarter peel on a diagonal into strips about 1/2-inch wide. If you cut them evenly, they will look nicer when displayed.

Place the sliced orange peels in a  4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and add enough water to cover the peels by about 1-inch. Place over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat and strain. Return only the peels to the saucepan, cover again with fresh water, and repeat the boiling and draining process three more times. It is really important to change the water because it retains the bitterness of the peel.

After the fourth boil, drain the water as before and return the peels to the saucepan. Add the sugar and enough water to cover the peels by 1-inch. Place over low heat and let simmer for 2 hours. During this time, the sugar will sweeten and preserve the natural flavor of the peels. After 2 hours, they will be soft and translucent and the syrup will be thick. Let the peels cool in the syrup and keep them stored in the syrup, refrigerated, in an airtight container until you are ready to serve. They will keep this way for up to three weeks.


When ready to use, allow the peels to drain on a wire rack for a few hours to remove the excess syrup. Put the rack over a baking sheet so the syrup does not drip all over the work surface. For a longer lasting treat transfer the peals to a food dehydrator for 5 hours to remove excess moisture.


Once fully drained, you have three options for serving: First, you can serve them as they are. Second, you can place the peels in a medium-sized bowl filled with granulated sugar. Roll the peels around in the sugar until they are well coated. Third, you can dip the sugared peels into the bittersweet chocolate.