Chocolate Covered Orange Peels (Printable)
Candied orange peel strips dipped in rich dark chocolate for a zesty-sweet indulgence.
# What You'll Need:
→ Orange Peels
01 - 3 large oranges
→ Sugar Syrup
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 cup water
→ Chocolate Coating
04 - 7 oz high-quality dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa)
→ Optional Garnish
05 - 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
# How-To Steps:
01 - Wash the oranges thoroughly under running water. Using a sharp knife, score each peel from top to bottom into quarters. Gently remove the peel in sections, keeping a thin layer of white pith intact for texture.
02 - Slice the peeled orange sections into uniform strips approximately ¼ inch wide for even candying.
03 - Place the strips in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain completely. Repeat this blanching process two more times to draw out excess bitterness from the pith.
04 - In the same saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring continuously until the sugar has fully dissolved.
05 - Add the blanched orange peel strips to the simmering syrup. Cook gently for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peels become translucent and the syrup thickens noticeably.
06 - Using tongs, carefully transfer the candied peels to a wire rack set over a sheet of parchment paper. Allow them to drain and dry for at least 1 hour until the surface is tacky but no longer dripping.
07 - Place the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, stirring until completely smooth. Alternatively, melt in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between each interval.
08 - Dip each candied orange peel strip halfway into the melted chocolate, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place each piece onto a fresh sheet of parchment paper.
09 - Sprinkle the freshly dipped chocolate ends with flaky sea salt if desired. Let the chocolate set at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes until firm to the touch.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Turning kitchen scraps into an elegant candy feels like a wonderful little magic trick worth sharing with anyone who loves citrus.
- The combination of bittersweet chocolate and chewy candied orange is the kind of flavor pairing that makes people close their eyes when they take a bite.
02 -
- Skip the blanching steps and you will end up with peels so bitter no amount of chocolate can save them, so be patient and boil those strips all three times.
- If the chocolate seizes or turns grainy, a single teaspoon of neutral oil stirred in gently can sometimes rescue it without affecting the flavor.
03 -
- If you want a professional glossy finish on the chocolate, look into tempering it properly because it takes these from homemade to bakery window beautiful with just a little extra effort.
- Save the leftover orange flavored sugar syrup after candying because it makes an incredible sweetener for cocktails, tea, or drizzled over yogurt the next morning.