Candied Orange Peel (German Orangeat)

5 from 1 vote

Candied orange peel makes a delicious snack especially dipped in chocolate but is also an important ingredient in German Christmas baking!

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 30

Course: Baking

Cuisine: German

Servings: cups

Cut off the top and bottom of the oranges and lemons and score the peel in quarters. Gently peel the citrus fruits then cut the peels into strips about 1/4-inch wide.
Place the strips in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil them for 5 minutes then drain them in a colander and rinse them with cold water. Return the peels to the pot and repeat the process once or twice.
In the same saucepan, combine 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Then add the peels to the boiling sugar mixture, reduce the heat, and let simmer for about 60 minutes, stirring frequently, until the peels are translucent.
Use a skimmer or slotted spoon to remove the peels, let excess syrup drip off, and spread them out on a wire rack to cool down for 1 hour.
Then roll them in sugar or put them in a ziplock bag with the sugar and toss the bag until the peels are coated in sugar. This step can be skipped if you use the peels for baking.
Spread candied peel out on a wire rack to dry for one or two days until they’re completely dry. Then store them in an airtight container.

Citrus fruit: You can make this recipe with any citrus fruit. I use oranges and lemons. But it also works with limes and grapefruits.
Blanching: Don't skip blanching the peels! This process diminishes the bitterness of the pith, the white part of the peel, and also gives the final product a soft and chewy texture.
Sugar mixture: You want the citrus peels to be covered with syrup. If your oranges are very large and you have a lot of peel you can increase the amount of water and sugar by the same ratio.
Candy Thermometer: On a candy thermometer the target temperature of the sugar mixture is about 230 degrees F which is soft ball stage.
Pith: Don't remove too much of the pith because the thinner the peels the harder and tough the candied orange will be. You want it to be slightly chewy.
Leftover fruit: The peeled fruit can be used for eating or juicing, it is not needed for the recipe.
Drying: It takes a few days until the peels are dry. I recommend turning them a once a day. You can also transfer them to a parchment paper-lined baking tray after they are cooled down.
Baking: If you want to use the peel for baking I recommend not rolling it in sugar. Just skip that step and let the peel dry until they are just dry enough.
Syrup: The strained syrup is essentially a citrus-flavored simple syrup and can be used in your favorite drinks and cocktails. It also tastes delicious mixed with sparkling water.