Chocolate Covered Orange Peels (Printable)
Candied orange strips enrobed in dark chocolate — a classic European confection blending citrus zest with bittersweet cocoa.
# 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
# Directions:
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 dipping.
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 - Combine the sugar and water in the saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring continuously until the sugar fully dissolves.
05 - Add the blanched peels to the simmering syrup. Cook gently for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peels become translucent and the syrup thickens.
06 - Using tongs, transfer the candied peels to a wire rack set over a sheet of parchment paper. Allow them to dry for at least 1 hour until tacky but no longer wet.
07 - Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring until smooth. Alternatively, microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between intervals.
08 - Dip each candied orange peel strip halfway into the melted chocolate, allowing the excess to drip off. Place each piece onto fresh parchment paper.
09 - Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt if desired. Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes until firm.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- These little strips taste like something from a fancy chocolatier but require zero professional skill to pull off.
- The combination of bitter orange oils and dark chocolate is the kind of flavor pairing that makes people close their eyes when they eat.
02 -
- Skip the blanching steps and your peels will taste like eating straight marmalade mixed with aspirin, so trust the process.
- Letting the candied peels dry thoroughly before dipping prevents the chocolate from seizing and turning streaky.
03 -
- Save the leftover orange syrup from candying because it makes an incredible sweetener for cocktails, tea, or drizzling over vanilla ice cream.
- Tempering the chocolate takes a little extra effort but produces a satisfying snap when you bite through the shell.