By Gabrielle Hamilton
- Total Time
- 2 hours, plus curing and cooling
- Rating
- 4(1,232)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Slowly poaching fresh, firm seedless oranges in a light sugar syrup is a simple yet magical kind of alchemy. You still end up with oranges, yes, but now they are glistening jewels — cooked but juicy, candied but fresh, bitter but sweet — that make an uncommonly elegant and refreshing dessert after a heavy winter meal. These cold candied oranges keep up to a month in the refrigerator, and any that are left over can be delicious with thick yogurt in the morning, or beside a cup of mint tea in the afternoon. But in every case, they are most bracing and most delicious when super cold.
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Ingredients
Yield:6 candied oranges
- 6firm, juicy, seedless oranges with thin skins (recently I’ve been using Cara Cara oranges), no bigger than a baseball
- 6cups granulated sugar
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
836 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 215 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 212 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 2 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Bring a stainless-steel pot of water to a boil. (It should be large enough to hold the oranges submerged.)
Step
2
Wash and dry the oranges, and channel from stem to navel at ½-inch intervals, removing strips of peel while leaving the pith intact, until the oranges resemble those onion domes on Russian churches. (You need a good, sharp channeler, not a tiny-toothed zester for this one.)
Step
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Place the oranges and their long, fat threads of channeled peel into the boiling water, and reduce to a simmer. Cover the oranges with a lid one size too small for the pot, to keep them submerged. Let them blanch for about 25 minutes to remove the harshest edge of their bitter nature. They should swell and soften but not collapse or split.
Step
4
Remove the oranges and zest from the simmering water with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Dump out the blanching water, and return the dry pot to the stove.
Step
5
In that same pot, combine the sugar with 6 cups water; bring the sugar water to a boil over medium-high, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then allow to gently boil, and reduce for 10 minutes, uncovered. You want some water to evaporate and for the syrup to take on a little body.
Step
6
Carefully place blanched oranges and zest into the sugar syrup, and reduce heat to a very slow, lethargic simmer. Cover oranges with a parchment circle cut slightly larger than the circumference of the pot (by 1 inch is enough), then place the too-small lid on top of the parchment on top of the oranges, to keep them fully submerged (and sealed under the parchment) in the sluggishly simmering syrup.
Step
7
Cook the oranges in the syrup for about 45 minutes, checking on them frequently to keep the temperature quite slow and stable, until they take on a high gloss and appear vaguely translucent and jewel-like. (We have several induction burners that come with features that can hold a temperature, and I leave the oranges at around 170 degrees for most of the candying, sometimes with a little bump up to 180. But without a thermometer or an induction burner, just a visual slow, slow, slow bubble is a good cue.)
Step
8
Cool oranges and peels in their syrup for a full 24 hours before serving. This kind of “cures” them. They get even better after 48 hours. First, you’ll want to let them cool at room temperature until no longer warm to the touch, at least 4 hours, then refrigerate them until thoroughly chilled. The oranges last refrigerated for 1 month as long as they are submerged in that syrup.
Step
9
Serve very cold. Eat the whole thing, skin and all, with a knife and fork. It’s like a half glacéed fruit and half fresh fruit — refreshing, tonic, digestive and so great after dinner.
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4
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1,232
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Cooking Notes
tmw
The oranges split open after the first boil and were unusable (I used Cara Cara, and also tried navels, but they also split.) Apparently the channels need to be shallow enough to leave a layer of pith thick enough to keep the orange intact while boiling. This seems a crucial detail the recipe unfortunately omits.
Frank
Can one do the syrup step sous vide in a slightly thicker syrup? Easier to hold temp, and less mess...?
Andy
I live in an area without gourmet groceries, so Cara Cara oranges are not an option. Can I use regular naval oranges? or the omnipresent clementines?
cruzer5
Would this work with a smaller citrus like a tangerine?
Lynn
Any other ideas for making a nice fancy design on the skin? I'm not about to buy yet another one-in-a-lifetime kitchen accessory (i.e., a 'channeler') for this recipe... ;-) Tx!
Moto
Just finished cooking and now need to set for 48 hours- looks promising!The parchment paper small lid didn’t work well for me (my lid too small) and kept tipping over. I ended up submerging and securing the oranges with one of those metal expandable steamer baskets placed upside down. It worked well so wanted to share that tip. I used small seedless tangerines, kept the simmer low because I was worried about them splitting (as per other reviews) but they look good so far.
HS
I used a simple serrated knife to cut the channels, being careful to go just deep enough to cut the skin. (Cutting into the fruit a wee bit does no harm - precision is not required). After making the slits, I just pulled out alternating sections. Voila!We had three different types of oranges at home, so I made a mix of them. Only one had a thin skin. Blanching went well. They did not fall apart.Not done yet. Will serve with curled shavings of dark chocolate. Will update soon
Jan
Any leftover orange-infused syrup can be used in mixed drinks recipes calling for simple syrup.
Michael
Keep a close eye on them while they boil! Mine split like they were at a gymnastics competition after 10-15 minutes
CalifGirl
Boiling citrus fruit in the syrup will make the liquid acidic. This could impart a metallic taste to the final product if a cast iron pot is used.
KinseyH
I will try this with Meyer Lemons from my tree (big harvest this year) and post how they turn out. One possible problem is that they have many seeds, which may add bitterness to the end result.
andreaborn
FYI, many fine-toothed zesters have a channeler on the side. Even if yours doesn't, you might look for one like that.
Ginny
Also recommend the NYT's recipe for Candied Kumquats.
Kathleen
This recipe sounds delightful and a perfect winter desert. But what is a channeler: a kitchen tool, a sculpting tool? I’ve never hear of it and think my paring knife should make a mess of this.
Velda
Would this work if I did not remove the strips of peel?
roberto loves lisbeth
Lisbeth made me this dessert with vanilla ice cream, basil leaves, cherries balsamic, and a small piece of chocolate, and I was delivered to paradise.
roberto
My GF made this for me with vanilla ice cream, basic leaves, balsamic cherries, and dark chocolate and I was delivered to paradise
Lisa
Costco carries Cara Cara oranges.
Marianne Bertini
A couple of notes: the non-stem end tends to split after first boil. So, when channeling, stop a few centimeters short of the bottom of the orange.Next note: use the candied strips as a teaser… your “taste testers” will think you’re CRAZY when you ask them to eat an orange peel!!! But will ask for more after the first nip.Finally, serving the entire orange, although pretty, is a waste. Cut the orange in half, horizontally, and place it in a small bowl. Top w whatever you want- or nothing
JA
Making this now. After searching my kitchen “toolbox”, I noticed my zest er had a channeler- yea! Used smaller citrus kind of like a tangerine. I’m at the syrup simmering stage- added whole spices to it- cinnamon, cloves, star anise and allspice berries. Everything going as expected so far. Looking forward to finished product. Will store in jars with syrup.
nedra
Re channelers: No need to invest a bundle. You can still find plastic Sunkist tools that are sturdy and excellent. Look for Sunkist Orange Peeler and Lemon Twister on ebay or etsy . . they score, peel and make twists. $2 more or less.
Joyce
They did not split open and looked very nice but did not taste good at all on their own. Maybe in a drink?
Leslie
This is my most spectacular, show-off dessert. Worth getting the special tool for the testing. Guaranteed to elicit oohs and aahss from your guests, and so much fun to prepare!
Helene
This was a revelation! I used small oranges and they were sublime! The syrup is fantastic in mezcal and tequila co*cktails as well. The flavor was deep and quenching.
rita
I put three small Cara Caras in my mini crockpot and covered them with the just boiled syrup. The oranges held up nicely after an all day gentle simmer, but were not as pretty after being cooled. The left over syrup however is the star of this show! It makes the best co*cktail mixer, especially if you like a rye or bourbon old fashioned. I am going to experiment with reducing the syrup and making my own bitters. Yum.
Hadley
This is a fun, beautiful recipe that I will make again for a special occasion. I used small cara cara oranges, the OXO zester/channel knife and left the pith intact. I ran out of parchment paper so thank you to the person who suggested using a steamer basket to keep the oranges submerged. I cooked them in the syrup quite a bit longer than 45 minutes (maybe about an hour and a half) before they seemed appropriately shiny and candied. After 48 hours they are a gorgeous, refreshing treat!
Tessa
Really hated this. Very hard to keep them submerged. Too small lid and parchment paper was not cutting it. The peels are sweet and soft, nothing amazing, but they are edible. But the inside of the orange is so bitter it’s not edible. Tastes like medicine with terrible aftertaste. I tracked down cara cara oranges but they are not thin skinned. Also used some blood oranges. The whole thing is a weird slimy wet texture. Save yourself the time and money and eat a fresh cold orange.
Jeannette
Ok, this recipe has its deficiencies, can't just be me. Mine did not split as other's did, I made the channels shallow and it worked. However- the syrup was not enough to cover all the oranges, I can to make 3 cups more to just cover them. Submerging them was no joke with them just barely covered.I recommend making extra simple syrup in case. Worst thing that can happen is you have extra orange simple syrup when you are done. Also, the recipe says "low boil" "170n degrees- nothing boils at 170..
Susan Alexander
These were a great dessert for Christmas time. I used large navel oranges. I did not have a "chaneller" (whatever that is) and resist buying things that are single use. Therefore I used my trusty vegetable peeler to create strips about 1/2" wide and used a sharp knife to cut very slightly into the pith. Worked fine. Also I was only able to chill for 9 hours but again got the wonderful candied peel effect. I will definitely make again but allow more time to chill.
Mike Wilson
A perfect hot summer Xmas day dessert with my family in Australia. Terrific after a bracing Thai meal.
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