Candied Orange Slices
A delicious homemade holiday treat
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Servings: 26 pieces
Calories: 54kcal
Ingredients
- 4 medium navel oranges washed
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups sugar plus 1/4 cup divided
- 2 inch fresh ginger peeled and sliced into 4 pieces
- 1 small handful whole cloves
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- Maldon or sea salt optional
Instructions
- Combine water, 2 cups of sugar, ginger, and cloves in a large saute pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring well to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low.
- Slice oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices, discarding end pieces.
- Add orange slices in a single layer to the pan with the sugar syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil and gently stir or press down on the oranges to submerge them. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the oranges simmer for 50-60 minutes or until the peel is tender and the white pith is translucent. Stir the oranges occasionally so everything is submerged.
- Transfer orange slices to a wire cooling rack set on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. I line the pan with a sheet of parchment paper for easier cleanup. Gently pat each side of the orange slices with a paper towel.
- If your house is warm and dry (not humid), let the orange slices dry at room temperature for 24 hours. If they are still damp or not firm after 24, hours follow the next step to finish drying them in the oven.
- Heat the oven to 130℉, and set it to convection if you have it. Place the cookie sheet in the oven for about 3 hours. Check the orange slices periodically and turn them so they dry evenly. They may need a little more or less time. You'll know they're finished when they're slightly tacky to the touch, but mostly dry.NOTE: if you prefer, you can skip the air drying and dry them in the oven, but they may take up to 10 hours. Check them periodically.
- When orange slices are firm, dry, and chewy, remove them from the oven. Dip both sides of the orange slices in the remaining sugar. This is optional, but the sugar keeps the slices less sticky.
- Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second bursts until melted.
- Remove the cooling rack from the baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.
- Dip half of each orange slice in the melted chocolate and lay the chocolate-covered slices on parchment paper. If desired, sprinkle lightly (just a few grains per slice) with salt. Refrigerate the orange slices until the chocolate is firm.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freezer for 2 weeks.
Notes
If your orange slices are thicker than 1/4 inch, they will take longer to dry. If they are thinner, they will dry faster.
Reserve and refrigerate any leftover spiced orange syrup for tea or cocktails.
The nutrition information is for one piece. NOTE that the carbohydrate content is an estimate. It does not include the reserved simple syrup.
Nutrition
Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 54IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 0.1mg
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