Chocolate Covered Orange Peels (Printable Version)

Candied orange peels dipped in dark chocolate — a zesty-sweet European treat for gifting or enjoying yourself.

# What You'll Need:

→ Orange Peels

01 - 3 large navel 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 (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Wash the oranges thoroughly under running water. Using a sharp knife, score each peel from top to bottom into quarters. Gently remove the peel in sections, keeping a thin layer of white pith intact for texture.
02 - Slice the peels lengthwise into uniform strips approximately 1/4 inch wide for even candying.
03 - Place the 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 gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar fully dissolves and the liquid runs clear.
05 - Add the blanched peels to the simmering syrup. Maintain a gentle simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the peels turn translucent and absorb the syrup evenly.
06 - Using tongs, carefully transfer each strip to a wire rack set over a sheet of parchment paper. Allow the peels to dry undisturbed for at least 1 hour until tacky but no longer wet.
07 - Break the dark chocolate into pieces and melt in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water, stirring gently until smooth. Alternatively, melt in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between each interval.
08 - Dip each candied peel strip halfway into the melted chocolate, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place each coated strip onto a fresh sheet of parchment paper.
09 - Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt if desired. Let the chocolate set at room temperature for about 30 minutes until fully hardened and glossy.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The contrast of chewy, bright orange candy against snapping dark chocolate is the kind of flavor combination that makes people close their eyes when they eat it.
  • They look staggeringly elegant for something that mostly requires patience and a saucepan.
02 -
  • Skip even one blanching round and you will taste the bitterness lurking underneath all that sugar.
  • Patient, low heat while candying is everything because rushing the simmer leads to tough, chewy strips instead of tender ones.
03 -
  • Tempering the chocolate before dipping gives you that professional snap and glossy finish, and it is easier than it sounds if you use the seeding method.
  • Save the leftover orange syrup from candying because it makes an incredible cocktail sweetener or drizzle over yogurt.

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