Candied Orange Peel

So this Passover thing is coming up, I hear. Well here is one more dessert/candy/snack that is perfect for the holiday - and has just three simple ingredients that I'm guessing are already in your house! Oranges, sugar and water.   

Some of you probably think I'm crazy, making candy for Passover when there is so much you can buy. But there is something quite nice about turning the peel of an orange, which is generally discarded into a sweet little candy. 

I looked at about 10 different recipes for making candied peel before settling on some amalgamation of all of them. Many of them call for boiling and rinsing the peel several times before adding them to a syrup, which incredibly-impatient me had no interest in. These steps are supposedly to remove the bitterness of the pith. with my one-time 15 minute boil, there was the tiniest touch of bitterness in the final product, but it works quite well with the intense sugary coating. If you would be bothered by that, give them another 15-minute boil before candy-ing them.

These would certainly take kindly to a half-dip in semi-sweet chocolate, if you're in to that sort of thing. Which, if you're reading this blog, you probably are. 

I won't be online for Tuesday and Wednesday for Passover, but I still have more flour-free goodies to share so check back later in the week!


Tip of the Day: After tossing the peel in sugar, you will likely have some leftover. You can discard this, or put it in a sealed container to use in your next baking recipe for a nice citrus-scented touch.

Recipe: 
3 medium oranges
3 cups sugar
3 cups water

3/4 cup sugar

Wash and pat dry the oranges. Slice off the top and bottom of the oranges. Score the outside peel in four pieces, and peel off the skin. Eat the orange. Offer some orange slices to your friends. 
Dice the peel in to even strips, about 1/8" each. 
Bring a pot of water to boil, and add the strips of peel. Boil for 15 minutes, then drain and rinse well. 
In a medium saucepan, bring the water and 3 cups sugar to a boil, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the orange strips and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, checking occasionally, for 45 minutes. Keep at a low, uniform simmer - the syrup should not turn brown. 
Drain the peel, do NOT rinse. 
Spread out on a piece of foil, and sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup sugar on top. Toss until evenly coated. 
Here you can take two routes: Spread the peel on a baking sheet, and stick it on the oven on the lowest setting (for me it is 170 F). Bake, tossing every 5 minutes, before about 20 minutes, until the pieces are dry to the touch. Or leave out on a sheet for 24 hours.