Candied Orange Peel Dipped in Chocolate
Recipe for succulent pieces of candied orange peel. You can either roll them in sugar or dip them in chocolate to make delicious gifts. Snip them into pieces and they’re excellent used in baking as a homemade version of mixed peel.
The inspiration for this candied orange peel confection came from Black Book Kitchen Diaries. I was sold the moment I saw the pictures. Not only did they make it onto my Christmas gift list, which is always rather hopeful but impractically long, but I actually managed to make them too.
Candied Orange Peel
It’s not difficult to make candied orange peel, but it is time consuming. The first time I made it, I halved the oranges and squeezed out the juice. I then tried to remove as much of the innards as I could whilst trying to leave as much pith on the peel as possible. This was not the best method and I strongly advise you not to try it.
I’ve made candied peel several times since, however and the process I use now is much easier and more successful.
I like a little bitterness in my peel, but if you don’t, boil the peel for a little longer each time and do it four times rather than three.
These were wonderfully succulent the day after I put them up for drying, but I thought they needed a bit longer so that they wouldn’t stick together in the jars. Unfortunately, I managed to forget about them for 4 days – oops! Luckily, the candied orange peel was still edible and still very tasty, but it veered more to the chewy than the succulent.
Despite being soaked in syrup, these really aren’t too sweet. They’re very orangey but with a hint of bitterness which complements the chocolate well. They ended up being everyone’s favourite gifts in their Christmas hampers.
Although, this was a fiddly job and not my favourite sort of kitchen activity, the result was so good, I shall be making these again.
Marcolini 78% Chocolate
The chocolate I used from Pierre Marcolini was a 78% grand cru trinitario from Cuba and it was delicious; a fantastic melt in the mouth experience. It had a fruity aroma and fruity notes when it first hit the tongue. This was followed by notes of butterscotch and finally coffee.
Melting the chocolate was a wonderful nose experience and the kitchen smelt delightful for a long time after. I was very impressed with this Marcolini chocolate.
Naked Candied Orange Peel – December 2011
When I made candied orange peel again, I peeled the oranges rather than squeezing them first. This worked much better as the peel is cleaner. This time around I dried them for 24 hours only which made them much juicer. I then rolled them in caster sugar before storing.
For a slightly spicy note, you can add a star anise to the sugar syrup. It makes for a nice, if subtle touch.
Mixed Peel – March 2025
This latter method for making candied orange peel also works for lemons. I have a separate recipe for candied lemon peel, which is a bit different, but equally good. This also gives you a step by step method with images should you need it.
When a recipe calls for mixed peel, use a mixture of both cut into small pieces. It’s a whole heap nicer than commercial mixed peel.
I’ve tried it with limes too, but limes are very thin skinned and don’t have much in the way of pith, so they weren’t a roaring success. I’ve also made candied grapefruit peel. Grapefruit is incredibly bitter, so although it can be done, it takes a lot of water changes before you have something acceptable.
Other Homemade Chocolates You Might Like
- Christmas chocolate bark
- Ginger chocolates
- Glitzy chocolate mendiants
- Rosemary chocolate truffles
- Salted caramelised almond chocolates
- Whisky truffles with dark chocolate and fresh cream
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you try this making candied orange peel, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Don’t forget to rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
For more delicious and nutritious recipes follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard or Pinterest. And don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my weekly newsletter. Or why not join the conversation in our Healthy Vegetarian Whole Food Recipes Facebook Group?
If you’d like more recipes for edible food gifts, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Candied Orange Peel. PIN IT.
Candied Orange Peel Dipped in Chocolate
Ingredients
- 6 organic oranges
- 100 g granulated sugar can use caster sugar instead
- 50 ml water
- 1 star anise optional
- 80 g dark chocolate (I used 78% Trinitario chocolate from Cuba)
Instructions
- Peel the oranges keeping as much of the pith on the skins as you can.6 organic oranges
- Cut the peel into ½ cm strips.
- Place the peel in a large pan and cover well with water. Boil for about 10 minutes.
- Drain the peel and repeat the process twice more.
- Heat the sugar and water gently and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the star anise if using.100 g granulated sugar, 50 ml water, 1 star anise
- Add the drained strips and simmer for about 45 mins or until the peel has turned translucent.
- Drain the syrup. You can keep this for using in other recipes or pouring over ice cream.
- Put the peels on a rack lined with greaseproof paper to dry for 24 hours.
- You can roll the peel strips in caster sugar at this point if you like. This is an especially good idea if you're not going to coat them in chocolate. But you might want to do it even if you are.
- Melt the chocolate in a bowl suspended over a pan of hot, but not boiling water.80 g dark chocolate
- Half dip the dried orange peels in the melted chocolate and lay them out on greaseproof paper. Leave in a cool place (but not the fridge) until set.
- Package into jars or cellophane gift bags.
Going to attempt these this weekend 😀 (leaving things to the last minute I know…)
Good luck. They were my mother’s favourite present when I made them that year 🙂
Wow, a fantastic present idea. It does look fiddly but the end results look great. I’m sure anyone given these would appreciate the effort.
Have always wanted to make this; they looks beautiful here! Bookmarked!
Hannah – thank you. I liked the idea of giving food in something that would remain useful after the contents had disappeared.
These look so good! I really like how you have presented them in pretty jars.
Nic – thanks. These are well worth getting around to at some point. Oranges are still in season 😉
This was on my list to make over Christmas, never got around to it! Yours look brilliant, and love the way you packaged them up in the jars.
Best wishes for 2011!
C – Thanks. I remember the previous Christmas seeing all of the fabulous things people had made, but when this year came along, I couldn’t remember what I’d seen or where I’d seen it!
They look fabulous Choclette – I was wondering when you’d post the recipe after seeing them in your Christmas gift round up. I really want to try these (and will probably forget all about them until next year now….. d’oh!)
Sushma & Pam – I’m thinking I should have made more of these 🙂
My husband would love these!
i would love to have that…so yum…
Kath – patience is a hard one, tis for me anyway 😉
Janice – you’re right simple, but time consuming.
Travel Food Phil – thanks, or just served with a cup of coffee.
Wendy – great, look forward to seeing your version.
Grazing Kate – patience isn’t my strong point, but it was a one off (or certainly a very occasional)! Luckily, these were particularly appreciated by recipients – always good to know.
Celia – thank you. Ha! You lazier than me? Not possible. I was fairly happy with how they looked but glossy tempered chocolate would have looked even better.
Kitchenmaid – thank you. It’s a good taste combination but I just so loved the colours.
MaryMoh – thanks. You and me both.
Maggie – would be interested to see it being done – tips for preparing the oranges would be particularly good.
Ananda – maybe I should open a shop?
are u sending me one of those beautiful packed orange peel hehe…i always wanted to try this they looks fab 🙂
I saw something similar being made on River Cottage Bites and was really taken up with them. They really do look fabulous.
Wow…these would make great snacks…great to have some in my bag everywhere I go 😀
I’m with everyone else – these look really beautiful (and chocolate and orange is such a killer combination!)
Choc, you are very clever, and far less lazy than moi – I just bought candied rind and dipped them. And I’m not sure why you’re so hard on yourself about the tempering – they look fantastic! 🙂
They are very impressive and I’m amazed at your patience – it’s the sort of thing that would drive me nuts. Your friends and family should be honoured to receive such wonderful gifts.
Agree with comments about the jam jars in the snow – lovely.
Fabulous! Utterly fabulous! I am definitey going to try this!
These look great! They’d make an awesome garnish for a cocktail or even served with duck a l’orange.
Gosh these do look delicious and although fiddly, quite simple to make really.
Thank you and BVG seems to agree that ovens are not such a good idea. I will have to learn some patience then.
Bridgett – they are well worth a go.
Catherine – one of the great things about blogging is finding out about all sorts of things 🙂
Hazel – thank you. The chocolate was truly delicious and we were just lucky with snow at the right time.
Brittany – thank you, it’s good to hear I manage to keep up occasionally 😉
CityHippy – it’s as weird for us to think of you guys in shorts as it is for you to see us in snow. I must confess, I did feel a little bit proud of my jars of peel.
Claire – thank you, it’s always good to get a bit of a boost.
Chele – it would be a real shame to cover up all of that gorgeous orange colour.
Kath – I suspect the warming oven would be too much – maybe above the aga. I’ve dried orange slices for xmas decorations overnight in the warming oven and they came out completely dry.
Gillian – have you tried any chocolate from Marcolini? I think you’d probably approve. Do you sell peel and is it popular?
BVG – thank you. No, I suspect an oven would be rather too much. Do try them again.
Blackbook – thank you, I fear mine don’t look half as good as yours but thank you for the inspiration and recipe.
you did such a lovely job with these peels..i really love how pretty the ones in jar looks:) thank you for sharing this and have a great day.
Fantastic presentation.
When I made candied citrus peel, I was very impatient and tried to dry them out in the oven – not a good idea!!
Wow sounds like you dipped in a pretty special chocolate! I’ve made these many times now – there’s something healthy about them, no??
These look so good. I wonder if you could dry the peel in the warming oven of the Aga? What do you think? I will keep an eye out for that chocolate, not seen it before.
As anothe comment says, the oven, even the Aga warming oven, may be too hot. But they dry nocely laid on baking parchment on top of the Lids over the Aga hotplates.
They look great, I like the half dipped effect too.
What a beautiful picture of them in the snow. I’m impressed with your creativity too!
I was thinking, ohhh don’t they look lovely in their jars, then realised they looked lovely in their jars and in the snow! Ahhh…
I’ve seen many recipes for this before, and yours looks just as delicious!
Good to hear that these weren’t too sweet after the syrup soaking! The chocolate you teamed the slices with sounds just fabulous. They look beautiful in those jars sat in the snow!
This is going to make me look so silly, but I didn’t know orange peel was edible! Mind you, soaked in syrup and dipped in chocolate sounds marvellous! Well done for making something from your To Do list – mines is a mile long!
Oh! I have always wanted to try these. What a delicious treat.