When December rolls around, you can count on me to first start thinking of what holiday treats I’ll be creating. Shortbread is a given, both sweet and savory. Fruitcake (yes!). Something chocolate, whether that’s a dark flourless cookie or almond roca bars, or – in rare years – chocolate fudge. And candied orange peel.
It’s one of my go-to holiday treats. For years it was grapefruit instead of orange, but I’ve come around to enjoying the orange peel more. So many reasons to love this recipe. It’s…
- sweet but not heavy like so many holiday treats
- easy to make
- a fantastic gift from your kitchen
- vegan, gluten free and nut free
So unless someone in your circles is staying away from sugar, it’s got a wide appeal.
Pun intended, Bob 😉
Start by slicing the peel into even segments, then bring them to a boil in a saucepan a few times to remove any bitterness.
Simmer in a sugar syrup until the peel is tender and glistening, then move to a parchment-lined baking sheet to dry. Once the peel is almost dry, finish it off by rolling in superfine sugar.
And that’s it. Simple. Amazingly tasty. And just in time for Christmas. Enjoy!
An easy treat for the holidays, and a welcome counterpoint to the heavy butter-laden cookies and tarts on your dessert tray. Naturally vegan and gluten free too.
Ingredients
- 3 medium naval oranges
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup superfine (berry) sugar, for coating
Instructions
- Line two large baking trays with parchment paper and set aside.
- Wash and dry the oranges, and trim the ends off.
- With each orange, cut the peel through to the fruit in quarters. Gently separate the peel from the orange with your fingers. Reserve the orange for another use.
- You should now have 12 pieces of orange peel (four from each orange). Evenly cut each piece into 12 pieces.
- Place the peel in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil one minute and drain. Return the peel to the saucepan and repeat this step three more times to remove the bitterness from the peel.
- Return the peel to the saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the peel.
- Heat granulated sugar and water in the saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the peel and boil gently in the syrup, stirring to ensure the syrup evenly coats the peel.
- When the syrup has mostly absorbed into the peel (10-15 minutes), remove from heat and place the peel in separate pieces on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Let dry, uncovered, at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight.
- After the peel has dried, toss a few pieces at a time in a small bowl with the superfine sugar, shaking any excess sugar off. Place sugar-coated peel on parchment-lined baking tray for a few hours.
- Transfer the peel to an airtight container.
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