Homemade Candied Orange Peel

Rinse the oranges thoroughly and cut off the tops and bottoms. Score the skin into quarters and remove the skin (both zest and pith, or orange and white parts).

Cut the peels into ¼ inch strips, reserve the orange for another use.

Place orange peels in a saucepan and cover the peels with water. Over medium high heat bring to a boil for five minutes. Drain the peels return to the pan with more water and repeat the blanching process for a total of 3-5 times. Blanching is done to remove the bitterness, taste the peel after each blanching to ensure they are not bitter before cooking in the sugar syrup.

Add 2 cups of water and 2 cups of sugar and bring to a simmer over medium heat stirring occasionally to ensure the sugar is fully dissolved. Add the peels to the syrup and cook for 45-60 minutes adjusting the heat to maintain a simmer and ensure the peels are covered in syrup. The peels will be done when once the are soft and slightly translucent.

Drain the peels, reserving the orange simple syrup for another use. Toss the peels in the remaining sugar and transfer to a wire rack. Dry for 3-4 hours and then transfer to an airtight container.