Candied Orange Peel

Candied Orange Peel

The orange season is bidding good bye to most of the Northern hemisphere countries . Though now a days , orange is available all the year long but even then seasonal fruit does have it own flavor and tastes . Orange is a fruit , nothing of which can be wasted . Even the peel can be a yummy thing for sure !! Candied orange peel has so many uses . It can be used in desserts like cakes , cookies , zarda. Can be used to garnish the food . Can enhance the flavor of drinks, like orange tea . Keep them in a box of sugar and your orange flavored sugar is ready !!!! But trust me , they are so easy to make . Just follow the simple tricks !!

Ingredients:

Orange peel of 4 medium oranges ( try to take fresh and spotless oranges)
3/4 th cup of sugar
1 cup of water
1 and 1/2 tea spoon lemon juice
Sugar to coat the peels ( not the icing or powdered sugar , regular granulated sugar is needed)

Procedure:

1. Peel the oranges . Try not to take the pith ( the white part of the oranges) as much as possible , as this white part is bitter . You may have little or a light layer of pith with the peel . Don’t worry,the next step ( #3) will fix the problem . 🙂

2. Now slice the peels as the size or shape you like . I had around a little more than half a cup of thinly sliced peels from 4 medium oranges .’

3. Cover the peels with chilled water in a pot and bring it to boil . Drain out the water . Repeat the process thrice . That is cover it with chilled water and then bring it to a boil . It would remove the bitterness from the peel and the little pith attached to it . This is called “pre-boil” method. Last time wash it with chilled water after draining out the boiling water .

4. In a pot make a syrup with 3/4 th cup of sugar , 1 cup of water and 1 and 1/2 tea spoon lemon juice . Lemon juice will prevent the crystallization . When the syrup is little thick add the peels and let it simmer until glassy and translucent at low flame . It took me around 45/50 minutes . You may need more or less time . Don’t increase the heat or don’t cook the peel in high heat . It may caramelized the peels .

6. The syrup will be almost covered by the peels . Now transfer the peels on a wide plate . In another plate put some sugar and coat the peels with sugar while they r still warm . Don’t try to coat all at a time . Take a little amount and coat . Transfer them in another wide plate and dry out in the air . When dried out , toss off the excess sugar . Don’t throw away the excess sugar . Your orange flavored sugar is ready . You may use it in making orange marmalade too . 🙂

Notes:

1. The pre-boil method can be done in microwave . Just cover it with chilled water in a microwave oven proof bowl and microwave for 2 and half minutes or more , until it comes to the boiling point . Repeat the process thrice .