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Orangettes are sweet, chewy candied orange peels dipped in rich, dark chocolate. They are the ultimate treat!
Many high-end chocolatiers have their own version of these chocolate-covered orange peels. Thankfully, they are easy to make at home and require only a few simple ingredients (and a bit of patience).
Enjoy Orangettes as an everyday sweet treat, or whip them up for special occasions. They make delightful, festive gifts for friends and family, are the perfect addition to your dessert boards, cakes and other desserts.
Recipe Tip
We love serving them as petit fours at dinner parties.
Orangettes Ingredients
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!
- Oranges: Fresh and preferably organic, as we are using the peel (or give them a good scrub).
- Cane sugar and water: Combine to make a simple sugar syrup. You can use granulated sugar, too.
- Dark chocolate: Use a good-quality chocolate with 60-80% cocoa solids to balance the sweet candied peel.
How to Make Candied Orange Peel
- Prepare the oranges. Cut off the peel and slice them into batons.
- Boil the peel in fresh water three times.
- Make the simple syrup. Boil the water and sugar, add the orange peel batons, and simmer for 50 minutes. Remove the batons and allow them to dry on a lined wire rack or tray at room temperature.
- Final touches. Melt the chocolate. Dip in the candied orange peel.
Serving Suggestion
For extra wow factor, make orange ‘flowers’ with a small flower cookie cutter, melted dark chocolate, and orange peel.
Tips for Success
- Boil the peel three times to ensure it isn’t bitter.
- After boiling in syrup, arrange the batons in a spaced out single layer to dry.
- Be sure to tap off any excess chocolate so the orangettes become as symmetrical as possible.
- If the chocolate hardens while you are coating the peel, reheat it so it’s easier to work with.
Possible Variations
- Oranges: Any citrus fruit will work. Grapefruit peel, lime peel, and lemon peel will all be delicious options.
- Sugar: Make simple syrup with water and granulated sugar, coconut sugar, brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup.
- Dark chocolate: Try flavored dark chocolates (lemon, orange, raspberry, nuts, or sea salt).
- Add sugar: Before dipping in chocolate, try rolling the candied peel in sugar to add crunch and make them less sticky.
Recipe Tip
Save the orange-flavored simple syrup for salad dressings, cocktails, iced drinks, ice cream sodas, pancakes, coffees, and more!
How to Store Leftovers
Store them in a dry place in an airtight container. If it is very hot in your kitchen, transfer the peels to the fridge so the chocolate won’t melt.
Use Orangettes in
- Cupcakes, cookies and cakes.
- Lebkuchen, panettone, and stollen.
- Mincemeat for mince pies.
- Ice cream.
- Scones.
- Granola.
FAQs
Fresh Valencia or Navel oranges will give the best results.
Yes, this will remove most of the bitterness in the peel.
Trim the peel when you get to the white pith (it’s fine to include some of it, but use a paring knife to remove as much as possible). My batons were about 5 mm thick (1/5 inch).
More Desserts
Fourth of July
Chocolate Blueberry Treats
Snacks
Strawberry Snickers
Valentine's day
Marshmallow Flowers
Desserts
Valentine Strawberries
Orangettes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 oranges
- 200 ml water
- 200 grams cane sugar, or granulated sugar
- 250 grams dark chocolate, 60-80%
- 1 teaspoon edible gold dust, optional
Instructions
Prep the orange peel
- Wash the oranges and slice off each end (top and tail them).
- Cut the oranges in half through the cut ends, then quarter each half.
- Slice off the peel with a sharp knife or peeler.
- Cut each piece of peel into 5-6 batons, each about 6mm wide.
- Place the orange peel batons in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water.
- Boil for two minutes on medium-high heat.
- Drain the water, top with fresh water, and repeat another two times (this will get rid of the bitterness).
Simple syrup
- Place the water (200 ml) and sugar in the saucepan.
- Bring to the boil. When the sugar dissolves, add the orange peel batons.
- Let the batons simmer for 50 minutes on medium-low heat.
- Using a fork, slotted spoon, or kitchen tweezers, place the strips of peel on a lined baking sheet or cooling rack.
- Space the batons apart in a single layer.
- Allow to dry for 12-24 hours.
Coat in dark chocolate
- Melt the dark chocolate and pour it into a small bowl.
- Dip each orange baton fully or halfway into the melted chocolate. Tap off any excess.
- Space the batons on parchment paper to set.
- Top with gold dust, or omit.
- Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
