Candied Oranges Dipped in Chocolate

Candied oranges dipped in chocolate are an easy and tasty sweet treat perfect for the Holidays. Omit the chocolate and use the slices for decorating cakes, cupcakes or quick breads!

Why you should try this candied oranges recipe?

• Only 5 ingredients – basically you only need 3 as 1 is water and the other is salt which is optional.
• Easy recipe.
• Tasty Christmas gift.
• Better than shop-bought!

How to make candied oranges dipped in chocolate

Wash the oranges. You can either cut them into circles or semicircles. This is totally up to you.

Now get a large wide-bottomed pot. I use either a 10-inch or 8-inch (25 cm or 21 cm) pot. Add in water and sugar. Turn on the heat to low and stir until the sugar has dissolved. This will not take long. Maybe 2 minutes.

Once the sugar has melted, place the orange slices in, making sure they are all submerged in the syrup. If you add way too many, the top ones might not be able to absorb as much sugar as the ones at the bottom.

Cover with a lid and simmer for 40 minutes. Drain off the excess syrup and let them cool off and dry before dipping in chocolate.

How do you dry candied orange slices?

You have several options. This is how I dry candied oranges: I transfer them onto a wire rack and pat them dry with paper kitchen towels. The paper will soak in all the excess sugar. It is important to do because if you don’t the chocolate won’t stick well onto the oranges.

You can also let them sit on a kitchen counter overnight or dry them in the oven for about an hour. However, when using the oven, make sure to dry them at low temperature (no more than 200°F/100°C) and check them several times. If the temperature is too high, the sugar coating may burn or caramelize.

To cool them off I usually throw them in the fridge for about 10 minutes and then in the freezer for 5 minutes before dipping them in chocolate. If you are drying them overnight, you can omit this step.

Candied oranges can be used as a garnish for cakes or quick breads. They look good on orange bread. I also used candied lemons to garnish lemon lavender loaf so if you are looking for ideas on where to use candied oranges, here are some for you) or just enjoy them as a sweet treat with an afternoon cuppa.

How do you store candied orange slices?

I store them in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Useful tips for making candied oranges dipped in chocolate

• Some oranges have very thick skins. I don’t recommend buying these. If you are not sure which ones have thin skin, try to look for juice oranges.
• Use a wide-bottomed pot to simmer the orange slices in. You want each one of the slices to have their own space and not to be overlapping.
• I used dark chocolate (70% cocoa content) but you can use semi-sweet chocolate as well.
• Salt flakes are completely optional. A great substitution is dried lavender or maybe even cake sprinkles.
• If you want to gift candied oranges dipped in chocolate then I recommend separating each one of them with a piece of baking parchment to avoid them sticking together.
• Instead of dipping candied oranges in melted chocolate you can dip them in granulated sugar or superfine sugar (caster sugar).
• Boiling the oranges instead of simmering will turn your simple syrup into a caramel which we don’t want!
• Guys, if you like citrus flavored treats or snacks why not try chocolate covered orange peels? They are so easy to make that you can make them with kids!

Good to know

Try using organic oranges for this recipe, if possible. They are not only better for you but you are avoiding consuming pesticides that are in the peel of most of the ordinary non-organic oranges.

Also to remove any wax residue, I recommend placing them in a bowl of boiling water and letting them sit for 5 minutes. Then scrub them thoroughly with a food brush under running water.

Print Email Pin

4.81 from 31 votes

Candied Oranges Dipped in Chocolate

Candied oranges dipped in chocolate are an easy and tasty sweet treat perfect for the Holidays. Omit the chocolate and use the slices for decorating cakes, cupcakes or quick breads!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 8 Slices (full circles) or 16 (half circles)

Calories: 182

Author: Julia

Ingredients

• 1 orange , large, organic (8 slices)
• 1 cup water (250 milliliters)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
• 3.5 ounces dark chocolate , 70% cocoa content (100 grams)
• Optional: coarse salt

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

• Wash the orange thoroughly under running water and cut it into thin slices (no more than ¼ inch/0.5 cm).
• In a large wide-bottomed pot heat the water and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Add the orange slices and spread them around making sure they don’t cover each other completely, if possible (they will shrink slightly during simmering so don’t worry if they are overlapping a bit).
• Simmer on low heat for 40 minutes, turning them occasionally. When ready, transfer the slices onto a wire rack and let them cool completely. To speed up the cooling process you can place them in the fridge for 10-15 minutes (or 10 mins fridge + 5 mins freezer).
• To cover the slices in chocolate: Melt the chocolate over a pot of simmering water. Dip half of each slice in chocolate and place them onto a tray/chopping board lined with a sheet of aluminum foil.
• Optional: Sprinkle with salt.
• Transfer them to the fridge or leave in a cool place until they harden completely. This will take about an hour.
• Enjoy!

Notes

1. Use 1 large or 2 small oranges.
2. Use a wide-bottomed pot to simmer the orange slices in. I use either a 10-inch or 8-inch pan (25 cm or 21 cm).
3. I used dark chocolate (70% cocoa content) but you can use semi-sweet chocolate as well.
4. Salt flakes are completely optional. A great substitution is dried lavender or cake sprinkles.
5. In this recipe dry measuring cups were also used for measuring liquids.
6. When simmering the oranges, leave the lid on. Do not boil them. Boiling will turn the syrup into caramel.
7. This recipe can be easily doubled.
8. Store them in an air-tight container in the fridge.
9. For tips and a more detailed explanation, I recommend reading the full post.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Candied Oranges Recipe, Homemade Candied Oranges

Nutrition Facts

Candied Oranges Dipped in Chocolate

Amount per Serving

Calories

182

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

5

g

8

%

Saturated Fat

 

3

g

19

%

Carbohydrates

 

33

g

11

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

30

g

33

%

Protein

 

1

g

2

%

Vitamin A

 

50

IU

1

%

Vitamin C

 

12.2

mg

15

%

Calcium

 

18

mg

2

%

Iron

 

1.5

mg

8

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

** As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Did you make this recipe?I love hearing from you when you’ve made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @happyfoodstube or leave me a comment below.

LEAVE A COMMENT

You may also love: