Description
Candied orange peel from Mediterranean traditions offers a sweet, tangy delicacy steeped in citrusy heritage. Rich with zesty flavor and delicate texture, this treat will transport your senses to sunny Italian and Spanish kitchens.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups (150 g) orange peel, thinly sliced into ¼” thick slices
- 2 ½ cups (500 g) sugar
- 2 cups (450 g) water
Sweeteners and Flavor Enhancers:
- 2 tablespoons (42 g) light honey or corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons water
Optional Flavor Components:
- ¼ teaspoon citric acid
- ½ teaspoon orange blossom water
Instructions
- Carefully slice oranges into wedges and delicately remove the peels, ensuring the pith is trimmed to approximately 1/4″ thickness. Slice the peels crosswise into 1/4″ wide strips.
- Optional: Soak the orange peels in water overnight or pre-boil them to reduce bitterness, changing water if necessary.
- Prepare the water-bath canning setup by filling a large pot with water, ensuring it covers the jars by at least an inch. Thoroughly clean jars and lids with hot soapy water, then submerge jars in the pot to gradually bring them to temperature.
- In a saucepan, combine sugar, water, and honey over medium heat. Once sugar completely dissolves, add the orange peels and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cook the mixture, minimizing stirring to prevent sugar crystallization, until the syrup reaches 230ºF, which typically takes around 50 minutes.
- In a separate small bowl, dissolve citric acid in water and orange blossom water. Carefully stir this mixture into the simmering syrup, then remove from heat.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the candied peels evenly among sterilized jars (either 3 6oz or 2 8oz containers).
- Pour the hot syrup over the peels, ensuring they are completely submerged. Leave 1/4″ headspace at the top of each jar.
- Wipe the jar rims clean and securely attach the lids.
- Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. After removing from heat, let the jars sit in the water for an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove jars from the water bath and allow them to rest at room temperature for 24 hours before storing or moving.
Notes
- Precision matters when preparing orange peels by scoring and slicing them uniformly to ensure consistent texture and flavor absorption.
- Soaking or pre-boiling helps reduce bitterness, creating a more delicate and refined candied orange peel with smoother taste profile.
- Careful sugar syrup management prevents crystallization, requiring minimal stirring and monitoring temperature precisely at 230ºF for perfect candying.
- Adding citric acid and optional orange blossom water enhances complexity, providing bright, sophisticated flavor notes to the preserved peels.
- Proper canning technique ensures food safety and extended shelf life, with sterilized jars and water bath processing critical for preservation.
- Store finished candied orange peels in cool, dark place and consume within several months for optimal taste and texture quality.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 341
- Sugar: 88 g
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 88 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg