Equipment
Ingredients
Fruit
- 2 navel oranges, scrubbed clean
Syrup
- 400 g granulated sugar
- 400 ml water
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 cinnamon stick
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 301 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 78 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 74 g
- Sodium
- 3 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 145 mg
- Calcium
- 45 mg
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 10 mg
- Phosphorus
- 20 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 10 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 50 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 29 mcg
- Water
- 141 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using a sharp knife, slice the scrubbed oranges into rounds about 5 millimeters thick. Discard the end pieces.
Place the orange slices in the wide heavy-bottomed pan and cover them with fresh cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes at around 90C or 195F. This initial blanching removes harsh bitterness from the white pith.
Carefully drain the water from the pan and briefly set the orange slices aside. Wipe the pan clean, then add the granulated sugar, 400 milliliters of water, lemon juice, and the cinnamon stick.
Bring the sugar mixture to a boil over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally until the sugar is fully dissolved. The syrup will reach approximately 100C or 212F.
Reduce the heat to low. Gently arrange the blanched orange slices in the syrup in a single overlapping layer. Maintain a very gentle simmer at 90C or 195F for 2 hours. Do not stir, as this can break the fruit or cause crystallization. If necessary, occasionally swirl the pan gently.
Remove the pan from the heat. Allow the orange slices to cool completely in the warm syrup for at least 1 hour. This allows the fruit to absorb maximum sweetness and plump up beautifully.
Using a slotted spoon, carefully lift the cooled orange slices from the syrup. Transfer them to a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet to catch any drips. Let them dry slightly before serving or storing.
Chef's Notes
- Do not discard the leftover orange-infused sugar syrup. It makes an incredible addition to winter cocktails, glazes for roasted root vegetables, or a sweetener for hot tea.
- For an elegant presentation, you can dip half of each dried candied orange slice into tempered dark chocolate.
- The thickness of the orange slices determines the cooking time. If your oranges have an unusually thick pith, you may need to simmer them for an extra 30 minutes until fully translucent.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 month — Store in an airtight container submerged in their syrup.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze slices separated by parchment paper in an airtight container.
Troubleshooting
Orange rind remains tough and extremely bitter
Cause: The pith was too thick or the initial blanching step was skipped
Fix: Cannot be fixed once fully candied, but you can chop them finely to use sparingly in baked goods
Prevention: Always blanch thick-skinned citrus in boiling water before candying
Syrup crystallized into hard sugar granules
Cause: Stirring the syrup after it began boiling, or omitting the lemon juice
Fix: Add a splash of hot water and gently reheat until the crystals dissolve, then cool again
Prevention: Never stir boiling sugar syrup with a spoon; swirl the pan instead. Always include an acid like lemon juice or an invert sugar.
Orange slices fell apart during cooking
Cause: Slices were cut too thin or the syrup was boiled too vigorously
Fix: Use the broken candied orange pieces as an ice cream topping or stir into yogurt
Prevention: Cut slices a minimum of 5 millimeters thick and maintain a very gentle, bare simmer
Cultural Context
Candying fruit is an ancient preservation method originating in the Middle East and highly refined in southern France as fruits confits. During the Victorian era, candied orange slices became a prized luxury around Christmas and New Year's Day, symbolizing sunshine, warmth, and prosperity during the darkest days of winter.
