Candied Orange Peel

Makes: About 150 grams/About 1 cup chopped

The best candied orange peel I’ve ever encountered was when I went to Lyon, France, to translate Maurice and Jean-Jacques Bernachon’s La Passion du Chocolat. The secret to the bright orange color and true orange flavor with a touch of bitterness is the process, which took 10 days of about 5 minutes work each day, and required a densimeter to determine the consistency of the syrup. The only time-consuming part was peeling the oranges and removing the bitter white pith beneath. Confectioner Jean-Jacques Bernachon liked to leave a little of the pith, but I prefer to remove as much as possible.

It took me 30 years to return to this recipe with a eureka moment: Instead of using a densimeter, why not use an instant-read thermometer, because surely temperature has a direct correlation to density/concentration. Yes! What is more, taking the temperature is a lot faster and easier than using the densimeter. After two tests I discovered that the final density of 1310 Baumé (a unit of relative density) is exactly 220°F/104°C! And that 8 to 9 days work just fine, bringing up the temperature by 1°F/0.5°C each day. The slow process enables the orange peel to absorb the syrup completely into its structure. The resulting candied peel is slightly chewy and totally superior to any commercial brand I have ever tasted. The strips make a delightful garnish for lemon or orange ice cream.

Special Equipment

One 17¼ by 12¼ by 1 inch half sheet pan

A large rack, lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray

An instant-read thermometer

2 large thick-skinned oranges	about 500 grams	about 1¼ pounds
water	500 grams	2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (500 ml)
sugar	375 grams	1¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise	.	.
glucose or reduced corn syrup	21 grams	1 tablespoon (15 ml)

* Prepare an ice water bath (see instructions).

1) Scrub the oranges with a little liquid dishwashing detergent and rinse them well.

2) Score the peel of each orange into six vertical pieces and remove the ovals of peel. Use a sharp paring knife to cut and scrape off as much of the white pith as possible.

3) Fill a medium nonreactive saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add the orange peels and boil for 5 minutes.

4) Drain the orange peels and immediately add them to the ice water bath to set their color. Then drain them again.

5) In the same saucepan, stir together the 500 grams/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons/500 ml of water, the sugar, and vanilla bean. Over medium heat, bring it to a boil, stirring constantly.

6) Add the orange peels, swirling the pan without stirring, and boil for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover tightly, and set it aside for 3 to 4 hours.

7) Over medium-low heat, cook the orange peels, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, or until the instant-read thermometer registers 212°F/100°C. Remove the pan from the heat, cover tightly, and set it aside until the next day. When removing the cover, allow any condensation to fall back into the pot.

8) Continue cooking the orange peels over the next 7 or 8 days, each day bringing the temperature 1°F/0.5°C higher. This usually takes 1 to 2 minutes after the syrup reaches a boil. When the temperature reaches 218°F/103°C, add the glucose and swirl it in.

9) When the temperature reaches 220°F/104°C, remove the pan from the heat and cover tightly. Allow it to sit for 2 to 3 hours before draining the peels. Reserve the syrup to use for the Pomegranate Bourbon Sour or to mix with a little triple sec or Grand Marnier and sprinkle on cakes.

10) Use tongs to arrange the peels in a single layer on the rack set over the sheet pan to catch any falling syrup. Set the pan in a warm area for several hours until the peels are barely sticky. A dehydrator set at 110° to 125°F/43° to 52°C or a warm oven (heated only by the pilot light or viewing light) will speed the process.

11) Use sharp kitchen scissors, lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray or oil, to cut the candied peel into long strips, about ¼ inch wide. Set them back on the rack and continue to dry them for several hours until no longer sticky. They will still be flexible.

12) Transfer the dried candied peels to a canning jar or container with a tight fitting lid. On storage, a fine layer of sugar crystals will form on the outside of the peels, which adds a pleasant texture.

Store

Airtight: cool room temperature, 1 month; frozen, 6 months

Scoops

* Use a stainless steel, enamel, glass, or nonstick saucepan.

* When the syrup has reached 220°F/104°C, the density will be exactly the required 1310.

* Glucose helps prevent crystallization.