Whether they’re used as a fresh garnish for your warm winter drinks or stuffed inside an Italian Pannetone, candied oranges are a surefire way to add a delightful pop of color and a bright zing of sweet and sour goodness to just about any treat you make at home. Requiring just two simple ingredients and very little culinary experience, candied oranges are one of the easiest confections for beginner candy makers out there. Perhaps the most underrated allure of candied orange slices are their delightful texture — not too hard, not too soft, but just firm enough to be delightfully chewy with a satisfying bite. Achieving that ideal consistency is dependent on one crucial factor: the temperature of your simple syrup solution.
The key to success with candied orange slices is to always maintain a gentle simmer, rather than allowing your sugar water mixture to reach a rapid boil. If you’re using a candy thermometer, you should keep a watchful eye while the candied oranges simmer, ensuring that temperatures stay around 235-250 degrees Fahrenheit, with lower-end temperatures resulting in a softer texture, and vice versa. When the sugar reaches this temperature range, let the oranges simmer for around 45-60 minutes, or until they’re see-through. Don’t let your sugar get too hot, or it will begin to caramelize, turning brown in color. If this happens, your candied oranges will have an unpleasant texture and could taste burnt. In this case, it’s best to start over.
Candied oranges are convenient and customizable
Once you’ve mastered these temperature techniques, and your candied oranges have become translucent, place them on a drying rack uncovered in a single layer for a day or two to dry. Once they’ve set, you can keep them at room temperature for about a month, so long as they’re kept dry, or you can store them in a sealed, airtight container in the refrigerator. For a waste-free storage solution, try storing your candied orange slices in the sugar syrup you boiled them in. Simply place your candied oranges in a jar, then fill with your boiled sugar solution, ensuring your oranges are thoroughly covered. If you’re looking for long-term storage, place your candied orange slices in an airtight container and store the freezer for upward of six months. Now you can enjoy your candied orange slices whenever you please!
While we love eating candied oranges on their own, half of the fun is customizing them. For instance, after leaving them out to dry, you can toss your candied oranges in a bowl of granulated sugar, giving it a refined appearance while also reducing overall stickiness. This is perfect for gift giving, as they won’t stick to the sides of any container. For a sophisticated flavor boost, try adding cinnamon or nutmeg to the granulated sugar before coating. Or, another common customization is dipping half the orange into melted chocolate. This ups the decadence ten-fold, and it’s oh-so good.
