You might have tried my dehydrated orange slices, which have many uses, but now I'd like to introduce you to candied orange slices. They have a wonderful citrusy flavor and can be dipped in dark chocolate, sprinkled with salt, or coated with more sugar.
These candied orange slices are something to be admired! Although they look impressive, they're really easy to make and add a bit of sophistication to any snack board or Christmas charcuterie board!
The orange slices are "candied" in a similar fashion as these candied figs, but orange slices require much less time to prepare. Sliced oranges are simmered in a delicious spiced orange syrup then dried, either using a dehydrator or on a cooling rack.
Candied orange slices can be enjoyed as-is, dipped in chocolate, or coated in granulated sugar. You can also chop them, then add the candied orange peel to cannoli, waffles, or other desserts.
Jump to:
😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Candied orange slices make a festive gift idea!
- They taste like candy and make a wonderful snack.
- Candied oranges can be used to decorate cakes, added to a fall charcuterie board, and used to garnish scones and other baked goods.
- Candied orange slices also make excellent vegan and gluten-free treats!
- The same process can be used to make other candied citrus fruits, for example, lemons and limes.
🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Oranges: I used both Clementine oranges and small navel oranges. Of the two, the navel oranges held up better. You can also try tangelos and blood oranges. But the most important factor is to use small oranges that are firm and seedless. They will be much easier to slice.
- Sugar: You will need 2 cups of granulated sugar.
- Aromatics: Whole cloves, a cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and rose water (optional).
- Chocolate: Melted dark chocolate chips or wafers for dipping the candied orange slices into. You can also use a mixture of dark and white chocolate.
- Salt: If you prefer salty-sweet treats, sprinkle the candied orange slices with sea salt or kosher salt just before serving them.
🔪 Helpful Tools
- mandoline slicer or sharp knife
- wide saucepan or a large pot
- dehydrator
- flip top bottles or mason jars for the orange syrup
🍊How to Make Candied Orange Slices
Slice Oranges
Step 1: Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice oranges into thin rounds (approximately ⅛ -¼" thick), and discard ends. If using a knife, try to keep the slices uniform in size. You should be able to get 8 to 10 slices per orange.
Blanch Orange Slices
Step 2: Add water to a large pot, then bring to a boil. Add orange slices and set a timer for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, remove the orange slices and dunk them immediately into an ice bath for 3 minutes.
Pro Tip: Although you can technically skip blanching the orange slices, this step helps to eliminate most of the bitterness from the pith (the white part of the orange).
Prepare Sugar Syrup
Step 3: Make a simple syrup by combining sugar, two cups of water, spices, and rose water (optional) in a large pot or a deep, wide pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer gently over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Pro Tip: Make sure you use a wide pot, large enough to accommodate the oranges without overcrowding them.
Step 4: Add orange slices to syrup, then simmer gently for 45-60 minutes, or until translucent around the rinds.
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Pro Tip: Stir or move the oranges around every now and then so they can cook evenly and stay submerged in the syrup.
Dehydrate Orange Slices
Step 5: Carefully remove orange slices with a slotted spoon, allowing excess syrup to drip back into the pot. Arrange on dehydrator trays, spacing evenly, and dehydrate at 135°F for 3 hours or until slightly tacky.
Pro Tip: If you don't have a dehydrator, simply air dry the orange slices on a wire rack until dry, which can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours.
Drizzle with Dark Chocolate
Step 6: Arrange orange slices in a single layer on a parchment paper or wax paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with melted chocolate or dunk halfway into melted chocolate then allow to dry. Once the chocolate hardens, store the orange slices in an airtight container in the fridge.
Pro Tip: Another option is to coat the orange slices in granulated sugar which will eliminate some of the stickiness. You can also sprinkle the orange slices with kosher salt once dipped in chocolate.
Store Syrup
Step 7: Remove spices from orange syrup, then strain through a fine mesh sieve and into a small flip-top bottle. Store in the refrigerator. The orange-infused syrup can be used in cocktails, mocktails, and to sweeten tea. Or drizzle it over this delicious orange bundt cake instead of the orange glaze.
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Before candying the orange slices, you'll want to blanch them to remove the bitterness from the pith. Blanching simply means adding the orange slices to boiling water for a few minutes and then submerging them in ice water. After that, proceed with your recipe.
Leftover orange syrup can be used to sweeten tea, cocktails, back sweetened wine, and drizzled over your pancakes or desserts.
Most likely this is because your orange slices need to be dried for a longer length of time either with a dehydrator or on a wire rack.
Candied orange slices last up to two months, especially when refrigerated in an airtight container.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- If you don't dip the orange slices in chocolate, they can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
- Use candied orange slices to decorate cakes and scones.
- Candy orange slices can also be chopped and sprinkled over yogurt, ice cream, or chocolate pudding!
🥮 More Orange Recipes!
Looking for more orange recipes? Be sure to try this decadent orange curd, it's great on scones, German pancakes, and so much more! Another favorite orange recipe is mom's orange bundt cake. It's so moist and exploding with orange flavor!
🍎 More Dehydrator Recipes
If you enjoy this candied orange slices recipe, be sure to check out this dried lemons post and these other related recipes!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
📖 Recipe
Candied Orange Slices
Equipment
- 1 mandoline slicer (or a sharp knife)
- 1 flip top bottle (or mason jar)
Ingredients
- 3 small firm oranges (sliced)
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cardamom pods
- 3 whole cloves
- 2 teaspoon rosewater (optional)
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar, for dipping (optional)
Instructions
- Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice oranges into thin rounds (approximately ⅛ -¼" thick), discard ends. If using a knife, try to keep the slices uniform in size. You should be able to get 8 to 10 slices per orange.
Blanch Orange Slices
- Add water to a large pot, then bring to a boil. Add orange slices and set a timer for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, remove orange slices and dunk them immediately into an ice bath for 3 minutes.
Prepare Sugar Syrup
- Make a simple syrup by combining sugar, two cups water, spices, and rose water (optional) in a large pot or a deep, wide pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer gently over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Add orange slices to syrup, then simmer gently for 45-60 minutes, or until translucent around the rinds.
Dehydrate or Dry Orange Slices
- Carefully remove orange slices with a slotted spoon, allowing excess syrup to drip back into the pot. Arrange on dehydrator trays, spacing evenly, and dehydrate at 135°F for 3 hours or until slightly tacky.
Drizzle with Dark Chocolate
- Arrange orange slices in a single layer on a parchment paper or wax paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with melted chocolate or dunk halfway into melted chocolate then allow to dry. Once the chocolate hardens, store the orange slices in an airtight container in the fridge.
Store Orange Syrup
- Remove spices from orange syrup, then strain through a fine mesh sieve and into a small flip-top bottle. Store in the refrigerator. The orange-infused syrup can be used in cocktails, mocktails, and to sweeten tea. Or drizzle it over this delicious orange bundt cake instead of the orange glaze.
Notes
- Although you can technically skip blanching the orange slices, this step helps to eliminate most of the bitterness from the pith (the white part of the orange).
- Make sure you use a wide pot, large enough to accommodate the oranges without overcrowding them.
- Stir or move the oranges around every now and then so they can cook evenly and stay submerged in the syrup.
- If you don't have a dehydrator, simply air dry the orange slices on a wire rack until dry, which can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours.
- Another option is to coat the orange slices in granulated sugar which will eliminate some of the stickiness. You can also sprinkle the orange slices with kosher salt once dipped in chocolate.
- If you don't dip the orange slices in chocolate, they can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
- Use candied orange slices to decorate cakes and scones.
- Candy orange slices can also be chopped and sprinkled over yogurt, ice cream, or chocolate pudding!
Comments
No Comments