Essential for flavouring Christmas sweet treats.
This Candied Orange Peel can be added to trifle, biscotti, panettone, muesli, muffins or cakes, and many desserts. Let your imagination run riot.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE ABOUT 250GM
3 x large oranges
500gm caster sugar
500ml water
100gm caster sugar extra
METHOD
- Score the oranges just through the skin, as if you were cutting the orange into quarters. Peel back each quarter from crosses on either end, slip thumb underneath the pith and peel away the skin with pith attached. You should then be left with a whole orange to eat or use for another recipe and 4 pieces of orange peel.
- Place peel in medium saucepan and cover fully with water. Cover with lid and place saucepan on medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, turn heat down and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and repeat process again.
- Once drained for the second time, place caster sugar and water into the warm pan. Bring to a simmer.
- Cut soft orange pieces into 3mm or so thick strips, lengthways.
- Place orange strips into sugar syrup and simmer gently for 45 minutes.
- Line large tray with non-stick paper and sit cooling rack on top
- When peel is soft and slightly translucent, remove from sugar syrup with slotted spoon. Place on rack in single layer allowing room for air flow around pieces. Leave, uncovered to dry overnight.
- Next morning toss orange strips through extra caster sugar and leave on rack for 4 to 8 hours (depending on temperature of room) to further dry.
- Store in air tight container in fridge for at least 2 months.
COOKS NOTES:
- Navel oranges generally have the thickest skins of all the easily accessed varieties and are easiest to peel.
- Don’t throw away the citrus syrup, use in cocktails, mix with sparkling water for a delicious drink. Or simply dilute with equal amounts caster sugar and water to make more candied peel.
- Try lemon, grapefruit or lime. The peel can be chopped up (easy using scissors) and used in baking etc.