Candied Citrus Peels Recipe

This Candied Citrus Peels recipe transforms orange peels into a sweet, chewy, citrus-forward treat using only water, sugar, and a little patience. Featured on Gusto TV Studios Presents: Inside and Out, this simple recipe is a creative way to make more use of whole citrus fruit while turning something often discarded into a beautiful homemade confection.

The Inspiration

Candied citrus peel is a classic preparation built around one simple idea: an ingredient that might normally be thrown away can still have plenty of flavour and culinary value. Featured in the Environment & Awareness segment of Gusto TV Studios Presents: Inside and Out, host Sylvia Meo uses this recipe to highlight a more thoughtful approach to everyday kitchen ingredients.

On Gusto TV Studios Presents: Inside and Out, Sylvia Meo presents these Candied Citrus Peels as both a treat and an example of resourceful home cooking. The finished result is colourful, elegant, easy to share, and created from a part of the fruit that might otherwise have been overlooked.

Ingredients

2-3 organic oranges
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
Optional – Fine granulated coconut sugar or dark chocolate for coating

Method

Gently wash the peels of the oranges with a vegetable brush.
Use sharp knife to slice off the tops and bottoms of the oranges. Score each orange vertically into quarters, remove the peels keeping the white pith on, then slice them lengthwise into 1/4” strips. Save the flesh for another use.
Blanch the orange strips for 15 minutes to remove the bitterness. Drain and taste, if they are still too bitter, repeat this step one more time.
In the meantime, add the water and sugar to a pot and bring to a boil making sure the sugar has completely dissolved, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the peels and simmer until the peels become very soft and translucent, about 45 minutes.
Remove the orange peels with tongs and let them cool on a drying rack placed over a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Let the peels dry for at least 4 hours. Toss them in a small bowl of fine granulated sugar or dip them halfway in the melted dark chocolate, or eat them as is!

Notes & Tips

Don’t discard the citrus flavored simple syrup, add some to your drinks for a wonderful citrus kick.
The candied peels can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature, in a cool dry place for at least one month. You can also store them in the fridge or freezer for 2 months and longer.

Serving Suggestions

These Candied Citrus Peels can be served in several simple and elegant ways, making them equally suitable for an everyday treat, holiday dessert platter, dinner party, or homemade edible gift. They can also be chopped into smaller pieces and scattered over cakes, cupcakes, ice cream, yogurt, or other desserts where a chewy burst of citrus flavour would be welcome.

For entertaining, a combination of plain, sugar-coated, and chocolate-dipped peels creates an attractive presentation with different textures and finishes. The reserved citrus syrup can be served separately as an ingredient for sparkling water, cocktails, mocktails, iced tea, or lemonade, extending the usefulness of the original oranges even further.

Final Thoughts

This Candied Citrus Peels recipe is a beautiful example of how a simple kitchen habit can change the way we think about ingredients.

All recipes featured in this episode Inside & Out were improvised by Sylvia Meo. Please note that the following recipes are approximations of what unfolded during the episode. We encourage you to embrace the spirit of experimentation when recreating these dishes and share your results with us. Individual results may vary.

Find more recipes from Gusto TV Studios Presents: Inside Out here!