Orangettes are strips of candied orange peel dipped in dark chocolate. They make an elegant gift and look great served on a decorative dish along with the coffee at the end of a meal. This recipe is several steps long, but it can be doubled if you want a bigger serving for the time spent in the kitchen.
- 1 large navel orange
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup chopped semisweet chocolate
Using a peeler, cut 3-inch long, 3/4-inch wide strips of orange peel from the orange. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil and simmer the orange peels for 10 minutes. Drain the peels, rinse them with cold water, and boil them in fresh water for an additional 10 minutes; repeat this process 1 more time.
Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan and stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has reduced in volume just a bit, about 5 minutes. Add the orange peels and continue simmering the mixture for 15 minutes. Transfer the candied orange peel to a wire drying rack and allow it to sit undisturbed for 45 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water, and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Dip the 2/3 of the length of each candied orange strip in the chocolate, leaving 1/3 of the peel exposed, and place it on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Allow the chocolate to set before serving.
This recipe makes approximately 10-12 orangettes.
