I LOVE chocolate oranges! The mix of flavors is perfect so chocolate covered candied orange peels have become a holiday tradition. The first time I made them was last Christmas. They were small and didn’t look very pretty so I tried some new techniques this year and they turned out 100x better. Better looking and better tasting.

Dark Chocolate Orange Peels

Ingredients

3 large oranges (you only need the peels)

8 oz water

8 oz sugar

16 oz dark chocolate

Slice the ends off the oranges, score the peel from one end to the other, and remove the peels. Try to get them off in one piece. Slice the peels into thin strips, trim the edges and slice off the white stuff on the peel(the pith).

In a medium pot, place the peels in boiling water and blanch for 5 minutes. Rinse and repeat until the bitterness is gone. I repeated this step 3 times.

Prepare the simple syrup by combining the water and sugar in a sauce pot. Bring the syrup to a simmer, place the peels in, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Check every ten minutes to make sure your peels don’t burn. Once the peels have cooked, remove them from the pot and place them on a cooling rack or silicone sheet to cool.

Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler. Dip the candied orange peels in the chocolate. Place on parchment paper or a silicone sheet to set.

Store in an airtight container.

Giant oranges and perfectly removed peels.

Slice the peels, trim them, and remove the pith.

Blanch the orange peels, rinse and repeat until the bitterness is gone.

Prepare the simple syrup. Bring a mixture of sugar and water to a simmer.

Add the orange peels to the syrup, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remember to check on them.

Candied!

Lay them out to cool.

Then dip them in dark chocolate!

Store in an airtight container.

Again these are perfect in small amounts.