How to Make Candied Orange Peel Garnish

Candied orange peels make beautiful garnishes for cakes, tarts, parfaits or ice cream. You can make plain candied orange peels or dredge them in sugar for a crystallized look.

Candied orange peel is not difficult to make and tastes wonderful if done right. When you cut the peels thin, they candy quickly. That makes them an easy garnish for cakes, tarts and ice cream. Another beautiful thing about them is that you can make them ahead of time and store them until you're ready to use them.

Be careful though, they are addictive and tasty on their own. So they might be gone before you go to garnish your dessert!

What You Should Know Before Making Candied Orange Peel

First, decide how you are going to use them so you know how to cut them! The white part, or pith, of the orange that's just under the skin is bitter and you may want to avoid it. However, the thinner the peel, the less there is to get candied.

I made these thin on purpose for a garnish. You have to decide how you are going to use them and then control how much of the pith you keep. So, make sure you have a nice sharp peeler. (I like to use this Swissmar serrated peeler because it's sharp and gives me the greatest control.)

Peels need to be blanched at least 3 times before cooking in the sugar to remove any bitter tastes. The more of the pith you still have on the peel, the more times you should blanch it. (The blanching process is included in the recipe below.) To keep the pith to a minimum... make sure you have a nice sharp peeler.

Think about how long you want your strips to be. If you want them to be very long, peel around the orange. If it does not matter, peel downward.

Take your time and control your peeler so you get the length you want without the peel breaking. This requires....a nice sharp peeler!

Cut your strips to the thickness that you want with a sharp paring knife. Be sure to trim off any rough edges. You want the strips to look perfect!

If you don't want to use them for a garnish, they taste great dipped in chocolate too. If that's your plan, I recommend leaving them thicker.

Ingredients for Candied Orange Peel

• Oranges
• Water
• Sugar, for the syrup plus extra for dredging

How to Make Candied Orange Peel

Peel and cut your orange peels according to the size and shape you want. Blanch the peels to remove any bitter tastes. Cover them with cold water, bring it to a boil for about a minute, then drain and rinse. Repeat this two more times, starting with cold water each time.

Whisk together 1 cup sugar and ½ cup water in a small pot. Add the peels, bring to a boil and simmer until they are translucent and tender.

Let them cool in the syrup. For a crystallized look, remove the peels from the syrup and dredge them in sugar. To shape them into curls, see the next section.

How to Make Orange Peel Curls and Twists

Curls turn candied orange peel into a garnish with height and movement. Shape them while the peels are still soft from the syrup.

For tight curls, dredge each strip in sugar, then wrap it around a straw while it dries. When it's dry or just tacky to the touch, gently slide the straw out.

For loose twists, gently twist each strip with your fingers as you lay it on the drying rack.

How to Use Candied Orange Peel as a Garnish

Use the curls and strips on cakes, tarts, parfaits or ice cream. My Dark Chocolate and Orange Tart is finished with candied orange peel. A few curls would also look beautiful on a Flourless Chocolate Orange Cake, an Orange Layer Cake or a slice of Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Cake.

For a lemon version, try my Candied Lemon Slices.

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