This candy piece is simply the best chocolate covered orange candy I’ve ever had.
The label includes the words naranja and caro. Unfortunately I can’t find them online, you’ll have to take my word for it.
Our local grocery store sells them next to the expensive cheeses for 39 cents a piece (Eugeneans: buy them from the Franklin PC! The bloated PC on Willamette is selling them at a 30 cent mark up…yuppie tax?).
This is a candied segment of orange covered in tempered chocolate. The inclusion of the whole orange rather than just the peel makes this a softer and fruitier flavor than just a coated candied peel. It’s like a non-bitter orange marmalade in side -soft and syrupy.
Aki and Alex of Ideas in Food have recently discovered the joy of pressure cooking whole citrus. The resulting fruits can be eaten whole and are tender, not the least bit bitter.
I wonder if candying orange already accomplishes this, or maybe the candying process could benefit from starting with pressure cooked fruits?
Aki and Alex’s whole citrus discovery makes me want to replicate this candy on a larger scale: using blended whole oranges as an ice cream or pudding base? Or whole oranges processed into a ganache like consistency with marzipan and covered with tempered chocolate?
One year Ago
Hot Apple Pie Shots: SHF17
Apple pie is one of those desserts I eat for the ice cream. Fortunately for me, this month’s Sugar High Friday theme of dairy lets me wallow in that desire…
12 Comments
“naranja” is orange in Spanish. “Caro” can be translated as expensive.
:laughing: thanks Heidi!
–McAuliflower
Okay…I’m not from Eugene but travel through there frequently. What/where is the Franklin PC?
It’s right by campus off of Franklin:
1960 Franklin Blvd
Eugene, OR 97403-2068
Map–McAuliflower
I think in this case I’d go with the translation of “caro” that leans more toward “dear”… though obviously the two meanings are directly related. 39 cents is pretty cheap for those guys, if they’re as delicious as I remember.
One of the comments on the pressure cooking article links to a Clementine Cake recipe (from Nigella Lawson). I am vaguely considering running all over town *right now* (9:30 PM) to find suitable citrus fruit and cheap almonds.
Katherine: “Franklin PC” translates to “Market of Choice (formerly Price Chopper) on Franklin Boulevard at the far East end of town”.
There, I’ve said my piece. About everything.
I love those candies. They are the typical thing you wish you never discovered. I cannot stop eating them.
Talking about candied oranges, I have a good (and long) recipe. If anybody is interested I can post it.
Thanks for the offer Andrea. If you have a post on your site- I’ll link to it!
–McAuliflower
I love chocolate covered candied oranges but they’re usually devilishly expensive. (And I’m usually willing to pay.)
McAuliflower, I have to admit I’m not a huge fan of candied, chocolate-covered fruit, but I hope you experiment with pressure cooking fruit. Any ideas on how you might use them?
The description of the consistency was very appealing. My immediate thoughts are swirling them into smoothies!
Or ice cream, or as the base for pudding.I keep on envisioning their use as revolving around mashing up the citrus after its cooked.
Maybe mixed with marscapone and then folded into whipped cream. Or used as a base to rest roasted pork on.–McAuliflower
I posted the recipe, as promised. It is lengthy, but worth trying.
Let me know the outcome.
Ciao
I came across your blog by chance, I saw the picture of the orange candies, it reminded me to my childhood! They are called “frutas de Aragón”. Check the website of that brand: http://www.caro.es/
(In Spain they are not that expensive)
Today, I had two delicious ‘Nakoa’ Fruta De Aragon candies made by the Caro Co., in Spain. My mother had them from her last trip to Spain, and I think she was keeping them a secret (hoarding them for herself). The next time I know of anyone going to Spain, I will have them get me a bunch. Those were the best candies, and I have never seen them here. The website is not very helpful, if you wanted to order them.
I have just returned from the Franklin PC and can report there are no Naranja Caros to be seen. Damn the effectiveness of the Internet! So I drove to the Willamette Market of Choice and purchased several Naranja Caro for 69 cents each because I needed a few more gift items for friends. I was in Spain last week and would dispute that it’s cheaper to buy this candy here, even at an inflated 69 cents. Perhaps it was a better deal when the dollar was worth more, and when sugar and chocolate were less dear.
WHere /how might one buy a package of your chocolate covered oranges? I live in New Haven, CT and El Paso, TX. Thanks for your response. Ann
My grocery store used to carry those as well- they are long gone from the shelves- but very dear in my memory. Can you still buy those in your grocery store? If so, could you tell me the name of your store and location and I’ll see if I can order them from there.
Many thanks,
Natasha
