Citrus Season: Candied Orange Peel
By Barb Freda
Jan 8, 2010 - 05:09 PM
Citrus Peel Candy--Next up, soft citrus peel!
©2010 Barb Freda
It's been a scary week for Florida's Citrus crop, and I guess we are not out of the woods yet--although citrus scraped by this week, forecasters are calling for more frigid temps in the next few days.
Citrus is just at its, peak, too--now is when the juiciest oranges and grapefruits are making it onto our shelves and these few weeks are when Honeybells (so juicy they are often shipped with bibs) show up in the stores, too.
Governor Crist declared a state of emergency, lifting weight limits on trucks hauling fruits so farmers could get ripe fruit out of the fields as fast as possible. So here's hoping the coldest temps stay out of the groves and all our sunshiny citrus reaches us. We love our citrus farmers.
I've already been eating as many oranges as I can in one day--but lately I've become obsessed with orangette, which is candied orange peel. But it's not just the skinniest outer layer of peel. No, the orangette I've tasted has been thick and chewy, as if the pith had been left on.
Sure enough, many recipes I read had me leaving the bitter white pith ON the peel. The trick was to blanch the peels in boiling water two or three times before cooking them down in sugar syrup.
In the end, the recipe I followed had me cook them too long...although I should have been paying closer attention. I have come up with hardened peel candy instead of the soft, sweet candied peel that is more like an orange gummi bear than anything else. They still taste good, and I'm giving you a recipe anyway, but I think you could be done at the 30 minute mark. For real decadence, dip the peels in bittersweet chocolate.
Oh, yum.
And while you're at it, check out Orangette, the blog--she inspired my desire to make these AND she has written a beautiful book called A Homemade Life. You'll love it.
Orangette/Candied Orange Peel
4 oranges
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1. Slice ends from oranges, then score the skin of the orange.Peel off the wedges of peel and cut into thin strips about 1/4-inch thick. Cover with water, bring to boil. Drain, rinse and repeat. Add 2 cups water and sugar to sauce pan. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add orange peel, stir to cover all and cook at a simmer for about 30 minutes.
2. Drain and place peel on wire rack to cool and dry overnight. Toss with granulated sugar. Store in airtight container. Dip in melted bittersweet chocolate, if desired.
Email
Print
Feed
