Turn leftover Orange Peels into Orange Confit

a href=”http://urbanhomesteader.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/2015-11-08-17.43.46.jpg”>While I don’t eat a ton of oranges, I use a lot of fresh orange juice in recipes, and am left with a lot of peels left over. I can’t throw them in my compost bin, because the worms don’t like them, and I hate throwing them out, so I found a great recipe to make Orange Confit. This recipe will work with any citrus peel, and is used in lots of recipes, including sausage, fruitcake, and more. Also known as candied orange peel, orange confit is a delicious sweet treat, and makes a great gift.

Recipe:

• Peels of 1-4 oranges (can use any citrus peel – grapefruit, lemon, lime, etc.)
• Sugar

Got that? It’s pretty complex.

Step 1: Prepare the peels

Either juice the oranges, or eat the flesh, and then scoop out the pulp, so all you have is peel with the white pith. Cut the peels into quarters and press them flat on a cutting board. Cut out the stem, and cut the peels into 1cm (1/4″) strips.

Step 2: Blanch the peels

Put the peels in a saucepan, and cover with water, and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Pour off the water, cover with fresh water, and boil again for 1 minute. Boil with fresh water 3 times, and pour out the water.

Step 3: Simmer in syrup

Fill the saucepan with a mixture of 1 part sugar to 3 parts water. Bring to a simmer, and keep simmering on medium-low for approximately 60 minutes, until the peels turn translucent.

*When you pour off the syrup, you can keep it in the fridge and use it as an orange syrup on cakes, in cocktails, seriously, this shit is delicious!

Step 4: Dry the peels

Put the peels on a rack with wax paper underneath (because they’ll drip). Sprinkle with sugar, and let dry for a few days. You can dip them in chocolate for a great treat, eat them as-is, or use them in your favourite recipes.