Candied Orange Peels

By AuntieLo

LOTS of alternative ideas here.. read on..

Well I didn't have a recipe I just winged it, then this morning I looked for the recipe, saw this long drawn out method..... and I see maybe I was on a good track. I removed the peel with a veggie peeler results is peel without pith.... the zest only, cut into thin strips and put it into a glass bowl, covered with sugar and a few tablespoons of water....popped into the microwave for 31/2 minutes checked them out and zapped again for 2 minutes........Let them cool in bowl overnight and this morning just scattered them onto a silicone mat..........I will wit until this afternoon and drizzle with dark melted chocolate. Very easy and no one get burned and no sticky gooey messes either.

One missing step that food network has perhaps omitted, from the classic, french preparation of candied orange peel is that the entire point of boiling the peel in repeated changes of water is to remove as much pith as possible from the skin! With a navel orange it is far easier to begin with. With other varieties after a few changes of water ( I was taught 5-7!) scrape as much pith as possible from the peel that has been plunged into ice water between blanching. Use a gentle hand and a sharp tool as you want to retain as much oil as possible- and truly I have always removed as much as possible to begin with and find 3-4 changes of boiling water is fine unless you react to the orange's essential oil in which case 5 changes of water may be right for you !
Without the Ice Water step you loose too much oil between boiling. The water, by-the-way must be at a rolling boil- so even if, for some reason ,you have no ice, your citrus peels have a "rest" period between waters. The peel will be/should be clear by the time you have cooked it in an extra heavy syrup to the point it will crystallize and there is no water left in the heaviest deepest saucepan you have!
Additionally, there i no reason to wash down the sugar from the pan sides as in other candy recipes and traditional methods and rules of candy making. You want crystallization to occur so encourage it if you must by after the syrup has reduced and you thought it should have been adequately thickened and beginning to crystallize- but it has not- throw about 1/4 c of fine granulated/castor sugar onto the pan sides.If you get zero crystallization beginning when you stir the peel around, your syrup is probably too thin.
Solution : Remove the peel with a slotted spoon, a lifter-drainer, or your favorite kitchen implement that allows liquid to flow off of the solids and drain them on paper toweling over wax paper or brown paper ( for easy clean-up) , a rack set over [ something to catch the syrup] or a tea towel. return the syrup to a med high heat and adjust the sugar saturation of your syrup. It should be quite thick ,quite clear and begin to evaporate after say, an additional 20-30 minutes at a rolling boil with the peel returned to the syrup after adding the additional sugar to make it coat the spoon when lifted quickly. A wooden spoon is best for this it absorbs zero heat and maintains the temperature of the boiling syrup. If your syrup should begin to colour ( other than a palest orange, from poorly processed oranges that have added food dye ) remove from the heat. You do not want to caramelize your mixture The entire process will be lost.Sometimes if it reaches that point , there i no reclaiming it- as quickly as possible remove the peel and drain.Either begin the syrup again or let it continue to caramelize and reserve the syrup for custards, etc. adding a bit of Cointreau liqueur or orange essential oil- or other oil based orange flavoring ( alcohols really are inferior!) if an orange flavor is desired. Otherwise flavour to taste remembering it WILL have orange notes which may or may not be desired..You must use a strong enough flavoring to either enhance the orange notes or completely cover them.
Remember if using an alcohol based flavor or liqueur, to let the alcohol completely burn off before removing from heat or adding butter or any fat if a sauce is desired .
Completely dry the candied peel before storing.. Sugar absorbs humidity- so make this on a dry and cool ( if possible) day! Line metal containers with parchment, silicone paper, or waxed paper and NEVER ALUMINIUM FOIL.It can anodize onto the peel rendering it toxic !

Ingredients

• 6 thick-skinned Valencia or navel oranges
• 4 1/2 cups sugar, plus extra for rolling
• 1 1/2 cups water

Details

Preparation time 265mins
Cooking time 338mins
Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Preparation

Step 1

Cut tops and bottoms off of the orange and score the orange into quarters, cutting down only into the peel and not into the fruit. Peel the skin and pith of the orange in large pieces, use the orange for another recipe. Cut the peel into strips about 1/4-inch wide. Put the orange peel in a large saucepan with cold water to cover, bring to a boil over high heat. Then pour off the water. Repeat 1 or 2 more times depending up how assertive you want the orange peels to be. (Test kitchen liked the texture of a 3 time blanch best, it also mellowed the bitterness. But it is a matter of preference.) Remove the orange peels from the pan.

Whisk the sugar with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 to 9 minutes (If you took the sugar's temperature with a candy thermometer it would be at the soft thread stage, 230 to 234 degrees F.) Add the peels and simmer gently, reducing heat to retain a simmer. Cook until the peels get translucent, about 45 minutes. Resist the urge to stir the peels or you may introduce sugar crystals into the syrup. If necessary, swirl the pan to move the peels around. Drain the peels, (save the syrup for ice tea.) Roll the peels in sugar and dry on a rack, for 4 to 5 hours. Return to the sugar to store.

Cook's Note: One way to use orange peels is to stuff a dried date with a piece of orange peel and almond, then dip the entire thing into dark chocolate.