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1
Halve and juice the oranges.
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2
Reserve the juice for another use and put the orange rinds in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
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3
Add water to cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
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4
Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer until the rinds are tender, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
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5
How long this will take depends on the thickness of the rinds, so start checking them after 30 minutes to make sure theyre not overcooking and turning mushy.
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6
To check for doneness, pluck one out and let it cool a minute; the rinds are cooked when you can easily scrape away most of the inner white pith with a spoon or a knife.
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7
Drain the rinds, and when cool enough to handle, cut each piece in half.
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8
Using a spoon or paring knife, scrape or cut away the inner white pith.
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9
Cut the rinds into strips 1/4 inch (6 mm) wide.
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10
In a large saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, combine the 3 cups (750 ml) water, 4 1/2 cups (900 g) sugar, and the corn syrup, if using.
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11
Bring to a boil, then add the strips of orange peel and cook over medium heat until the temperature reaches 225F (110C) and the peel turns translucent.
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12
Place the candied peel in a strainer and stir a few times to make sure as much syrup drips off as possible.
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13
Spread the strips out on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and allow to dry for 2 to 3 hours.
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14
Spread the remaining 1 1/2 cups (300 g) sugar on a baking sheet.
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15
Place the orange peel strips in the sugar and toss with your fingers to separate the pieces and coat them well with sugar.
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16
Lift out the strips and shake off the excess sugar with your hands or place them in a colander and shake well.
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17
Set the sugar-coated strips on the wire rack and let dry overnight at room temperature.
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18
The candied peel will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
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19
You can substitute tangerines for the oranges.
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20
Note that the initial cooking time might be shorter because tangerine peels tend to be thinner.
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21
Lemon rinds can be candied this way, too.
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22
Letting the peel dry thoroughly overnight is important because excess moisture can shorten the lifespan of the candied peel.
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23
If for some reason the peel gets too dry during storage, you can rehydrate it and make it more flavorful by soaking it in an orange-flavored liqueur such as Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or Triple Sec before chopping and adding to a batter.
