Candied Orange Slices Recipe -

5 from 1 vote

Candied Orange Slices Recipe

Candied orange slices lend a delicious citrusy bite to anything you add them to. Just 3 ingredients - oranges, sugar, and water create a tart, sweet, chewy, caramelized orange treat. They are fantastic as snacks, cake toppings, drink garnishes, or desserts!

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Drying Time1

Course: Condiment, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: World

Servings: slices

Calories: 43kcal

Author: Natasha Minocha

Ingredients

2-3 Oranges I used Mandarin oranges
1/2 cup Sugar
1 cup Water
2-3 tbsp Caster sugar for coating Optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Blanch the Orange Slices

Keep a bowl of iced water handy.
Bring 2-3 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan.
Slice the oranges, remove seeds, if any, and carefully add to the boiling water.
Boil for 1 minute and place them in the bowl of iced water.

Sugar Syrup

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the orange slices and cook on low heat for 35-40 minutes, until the rinds are slightly translucent and the syrup is thick and sticky. Flip the slices every 10-15 minutes to ensure they are properly coated in the syrup.
Transfer the slices onto a cooling rack and let them dry for 24 hours.
You can also toss them in caster sugar if you wish.
Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, for 2-3 weeks. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

You can use a mandoline slicer to slice the oranges. I find that a sharp or serrated knife works just as well.
The thickness of your slices is essential from a structural perspective. Too thin, and they will shred during boiling. Too-thick slices will hold their shape, but take forever to dry. Most recipes call for 1/4-inch slices, so that's what I go for.
Use a large sieve to remove the slices from boiling water and dunk them in ice water. It is a one-minute step, but it is crucial because it prevents the orange slices from cooking further.
Swirl the orange slices in the sugar syrup periodically to evenly and fully coat them.
Drying on a wire rack gives you glass-like, caramelized oranges. Drying on parchment paper gives them a more matte finish on the side touching the paper.
Don’t throw away your leftover sugar syrup. If it hasn’t crystallized or thickened too much, you can use it for cocktails, lemonades, and even hot coffee, so nothing goes to waste.
Candied oranges store well in an airtight container for up to a month.
Cleaning up after this recipe is easy. Soak all the utensils in hot water, and the sticky sugar coating dissolves right away.

Nutrition