Here’s an accidental kitchen science project report:
I happened to leave/submit/forget a handful or orange slices from my Christmas candied orange slices in their final sugar solution for an additional 3 months.
I finally pulled the remaining slices out of their unrefrigerated sugar solution to find them completely encrusted with large blocky sugar crystals.
These resulting candy orange slices are a delightfully crunchy version of the best candied orange slices in the world. The big wonky sugar crystals are gorgeous to look at, and the rind and peel of the fruit seem even more translucent and transcendent… presenting a Platonic Ideal of a candy orange slice.
I soooo need to make these again in grapefruit, lemon, and blood orange batches…
12 Comments
I love your blog! Those look great, btw. I’ve been dieing to candy some lime along with the oranges, nice color contrast.
One question, did you use a slicer to slice your oranges or a knife? They look so thin and uniform (after looking at your blog post from a few months ago). If you did use a slicer, do you mind sharing what brand/kind you used?
Hi Angie
I used a knife to slice the oranges. What helped is cutting the orange in half first, and then resting it on that flat surface and slicing thin.However, having just finished eating these babies, I noticed the slicker slices are just as good if not better (more to chew on). Getting these cut THIN isn’t crucial.
best of luck
–McAuliflower
What a gorgeous photo, I think my mouth watered a little when I saw it.
I have an orange tree and am always baffled at what to do with all these oranges (I’m not a juice drinker). I am so going to try this!
Thanks for the happy accident.
Oh lucky you!
I’m trying another batch of candied citrus right now ala the slacker method (not as precise, just need to increase sugar each day-ish).
Now you’ve got me fantasizing about your orange tree…
– McAuliflower
WOW! Great photo — I want to make them now too. I have a link to your blog from Nibbles of Tidbits. Thanks! Shelly
Wow – what a good idea! And you didn’t even do it on purpose!
It’s always cool when accidents bring good results!
Great photo! I hope you show pictures if you use blood oranges!
How do I know when these guys are done?
When they taste good could be an indicator.
–McAuliflower
great- then I’m close!
Hey there I’m from Bulgaria and actually here this is a traditional kind of candy, it’s been on the market for more than 80 years I think… I bought some of these the other day just to remember my childhood years, and as I see, you “accidentally” did them just the way they’re supposed to be. I MUST try doing them at home, so far I’ve only bought them. I don’t have kids now, but when I have, it would be soooooooo cool for them to make these slices at home
Congrats for the discovery! :*
(eyes welling up) I think I worship you.
[...] Crystalized orange [...]
