Chocolate Dipped Orange Peels (Printable)

Candied citrus strips enrobed in dark chocolate — a classic European confection for gifting and indulging.

# What You'll Need:

→ Orange Peels

01 - 3 large oranges

→ Sugar Syrup

02 - 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
03 - 1 cup water (240 ml)

→ Chocolate Coating

04 - 7 oz high-quality dark chocolate, at least 60% cocoa (200 g)

→ Optional Garnish

05 - 1 tsp flaky sea salt (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Wash the oranges thoroughly under running water. Using a sharp knife, score each peel from top to bottom into quarters. Gently remove the peel in sections, keeping as much of the white pith intact as possible.
02 - Slice the peels into uniform strips approximately ¼ inch wide.
03 - Place the peel strips in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain completely. Repeat this blanching process two more times to remove excess bitterness.
04 - In the same saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is fully dissolved.
05 - Add the blanched orange peels to the sugar syrup. Simmer gently for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peels become translucent and tender.
06 - Using tongs, carefully transfer the candied peels to a wire rack set over parchment paper. Allow them to dry for at least 1 hour until tacky but no longer wet.
07 - Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over gently simmering water (double boiler method), stirring until smooth. Alternatively, melt in short 20-second bursts in the microwave, stirring between intervals.
08 - Dip each candied orange peel strip halfway into the melted chocolate, allowing the excess to drip off. Place each piece onto parchment paper.
09 - Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired. Allow the chocolate to set completely at room temperature, approximately 30 minutes, before serving or storing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Candying your own orange peels is surprisingly simple and the results taste nothing like anything from a store.
  • The contrast of slightly bitter citrus against dark, glossy chocolate is the kind of flavor pairing that makes people close their eyes when they take a bite.
02 -
  • Skip the blanching steps and your peels will taste like chewing on aspirin, which I learned the hard way one impatient evening.
  • Letting the candied peels dry long enough before dipping is critical because any lingering moisture will make the chocolate seize and turn grainy.
03 -
  • Save the leftover orange syrup after candying because it makes an incredible sweetener for cocktails, tea, or drizzled over vanilla ice cream.
  • Use a fork rather than your fingers to dip the peels because warm hands will leave fingerprints in the chocolate before it sets.

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