Chocolate Covered Orange Peels (Print Version)
Candied orange peels dipped in rich dark chocolate create a zesty-sweet confection perfect for gifting or indulging.
# What You 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
# Directions:
01 - Wash the oranges thoroughly under running water. Using a sharp knife, score the peel from top to bottom into quarters. Gently remove the peel in sections, keeping as much of the white pith intact as possible to preserve texture.
02 - Slice the peels into uniform strips approximately ¼ inch wide for even candying and a polished final appearance.
03 - Place the peel 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 simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar has fully dissolved and the liquid is clear.
05 - Add the blanched peel strips to the simmering sugar syrup. Maintain a gentle simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the peels become translucent and deeply saturated with syrup.
06 - Using tongs, carefully transfer the candied peels to a wire rack set over a sheet of parchment paper. Allow them to air-dry for at least 1 hour until the surface is tacky but no longer dripping with syrup.
07 - Set up a double boiler by placing a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Add the dark chocolate and stir occasionally until completely melted and 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 dipped strip onto a fresh sheet of parchment paper, leaving space between pieces to prevent sticking.
09 - If desired, sprinkle the freshly dipped chocolate with a pinch of flaky sea salt while still wet. Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes until fully hardened and glossy.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Candying your own citrus peels is cheaper and tastes infinitely better than anything from a store.
- The contrast of bitter orange, sweet syrup, and dark chocolate hits every flavor note you could want.
- They look like they came from a fancy confectionery but require zero special skills.
02 -
- Skip the blanching steps and your peels will be inedibly bitter no matter how much sugar you add later.
- Do not rush the drying time because wet peels will cause the chocolate to seize and slide right off.
03 -
- The thicker your orange peels, the more satisfying the final bite, so choose the bulkiest oranges you can find.
- Always taste your chocolate before dipping because a bar that is too sweet will fight with the candied orange instead of complementing it.