Chocolate Covered Orange Peels (Print Version)
Candied orange peels enrobed in dark chocolate for a zesty, elegant sweet treat.
# What You 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
# How-To Steps:
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 into uniform strips approximately ¼ inch wide for even candying and a polished presentation.
03 - Place the strips in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a rolling boil for 2 minutes. 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 continuously until the sugar has fully dissolved.
05 - Add the blanched peels to the simmering syrup. Maintain a gentle simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peels become translucent and the syrup thickens slightly.
06 - Using tongs, carefully transfer each strip to a wire rack set over a sheet of parchment paper. Allow the peels to dry at room temperature for at least 1 hour until tacky but no longer dripping.
07 - Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water (double boiler method) and melt the dark chocolate, stirring until smooth. Alternatively, melt in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between bursts.
08 - Dip each candied orange peel strip halfway into the melted chocolate, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Place each piece onto fresh parchment paper.
09 - Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt if desired. Let the chocolate set at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes until firm to the touch.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These peels look like something from a fancy Parisian chocolate shop but cost almost nothing to make at home.
- The combination of bright orange oils and dark chocolate is genuinely addictive, and people always assume you spent hours on something complicated.
02 -
- Skip even one blanching round and you will taste it immediately because the bitterness lurking in that white pith is stubborn and needs repeated boiling to surrender.
- Wet peels and melted chocolate are enemies, so make sure every strip is truly dry before dipping or the coating will seize and streak instead of setting with a clean snap.
03 -
- Reserve the leftover orange syrup after candying because it makes an incredible sweetener for cocktails, tea, or drizzled over yogurt the next morning.
- Dry the peels on a rack rather than flat on parchment so air circulates underneath and you avoid that annoying soggy spot on one side.