Candied Orange Peel

ginger layer cake with vanilla cream cheese frosting garnished with candied orange peel

Candied Orange Peel


This recipe makes quite a lot of candy.  You can easily cut it in half and have enough candy for several recipes and enough orange syrup for one batch of Sweet Orange Corn Cakes with Tangy Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Ingredients:

6 valencia or naval oranges (you want them to have a thick pith)
4 1/2 cups sugar + 1 cup to roll the peels in
1 1/2 cups water

Directions:

1.  Cut the ends off of the oranges.  Quarter, then peel.  Cut the peels into thin strips (about half the width of a pencil eraser)

2.  Put the strips into a saucepan with enough cold water to cover them.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Pour off water.  Repeat this step 3-4 times.

3.  Remove peels from pan.  Whisk sugar into water.  Bring to a simmer & cook for 8-9 minutes until a candy thermometer reads (230-234 degrees)

4.  Add peels & simmer gently, reducing heat to keep at a simmer.  DO NOT STIR.  Cook until translucent (about 45 minutes).

5.  Drain peels.  Save the syrup in a heat proof container.  Roll the peels in a cup of sugar on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Leave there to dry over night.  Store peels in the extra sugar in an air-tight container for up to 4 months.