Candied Orange Peel

🧂 Ingredients

• 4 large navel oranges

  (or 5 small oranges)
• 2 cups water
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar

  (plus more for coating if desired)
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• 1 To begin, wash your oranges carefully with a vegetable brush. Then peel the
  oranges in 2-4" segments from top to bottom (press firmly with your peeler so
  you get an even layer of peel). Slice the segments into thin strips about ¼"
  thick if desired.
• 2 Place a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat and add the water, 1½ cups of
  sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, until the sugar
  dissolves completely.
• 3 Once the sugar has dissolved, add the orange peels. Reduce the heat as needed
  and let the peels simmer for 15-20 minutes (just long enough that they become
  tender, but not so long that they lose their vibrant color). Be sure to stir
  every so often to ensure that all of the peels are equally exposed to the syrup.
• 4 Remove the saucepan from heat, add the vanilla, and stir. Let the orange peels
  set for 5 minutes to soak up all the flavor. Meanwhile, place a wire cooling
  rack on top of a sheet of parchment paper or baking sheet.
• 5 After 5 minutes, transfer the peels to the cooling rack. Let them dry for 20-30
  minutes before coating them in the optional additional sugar to coat.
• 6 Return the sugar-coated orange peel to the cooling rack to dry fully at room
  temperature. This can take up to 24 hours (they should no longer be sticky to
  the touch). Store or serve when dried.

Nutrition Info