Thursday, March 26, 2009

Candied Orange Peel


Hey y'all! I have arrived in the Sunshine State for some "fun in the sun" vacation time. So far, I have been outraged at the prices of food and wine compared to France. The French have been complaining about their rising food prices, but they should be grateful not to have to pay US prices! Besides the price shocks, the weather has been sunny and warm, making me want more fruit, seafood and lighter fare than the last 6 months. Florida is known for its citrus fruit so I decided to candy some Florida oranges. And with the help of my dad's chocolate dipping machine (see the "No more chocolate?" post below), I dipped the candied orange peel in dark chocolate. You could dip the peel by hand at home. These little treats are tasty and healthy!

Candied Orange Peel
-3 or more organic, thick skinned oranges
-water
-sugar
-powdered sugar
-dark chocolate

Peel the oranges by hand, trying to peel in wide pieces. Cut pieces into 1/4 inch strips and remove most of the pith (white part of peel). Soak peels in water overnight. Change out water everyday for 4 days. This will reduce or eliminate the bitter taste of the orange peel. On the fourth day, drain peels and weigh them. Place equal amounts of the peels and sugar in a saucepan. Bring saucepan to a boil. The water from the oranges will extract and create a syrup. Boil mixture for approximately 10-15 minutes or until the peels are candied. If you over candy the peels, they will be hard. Remove peels from sugar syrup and place on a cooling rack overnight. Roll each peel in powdered sugar. This will help the chocolate stick to the peel. Dip candied orange peels in tempered chocolate to create smooth, shiny "chocolate covered candied orange peel". Let chocolate cool and eat!