Candied Orange Peels

Ingredients:

• 8-14 oranges, enough to yield 4 cups orange peels
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 4 oz. semi-sweet baker's chocolate (optional)

Directions:

1. Peel the oranges with a knife in a similar manner to peeling an apple. Try to exclude as much of the white part of the orange peel as you can, because the white part of the peel makes the candied orange peels too chewy and tough. Cut the peels into 1/2-inch wide strips.
   
2. Place the orange peels in a pot with enough water to cover them. Add salt and boil the orange peels for 15 minutes, then drain them.
   
3. In another pot, put 1 cup of water and 2 cups of sugar and bring to a boil. Add orange peels and reduce heat to simmer. Stirring frequently, cook until the peel becomes translucent (about 40-50 minutes). Make sure not to burn them because the orange flavor will be lost. Drain well. Discard the syrup.
   
4. Spread the peels on a cookie sheet and dry for about 2 hours.
   
5. Coat a few pieces in sugar at a time. Spread the peels again on a cookie sheet and let them dry for at least 5 hours.
   
6. Store them in a glass jar by alternately putting a layer of peels and a layer of sugar.
   
   
   

Optional Chocolate Coating:

1. Using a double boiler, melt 2 oz. chocolate in the inner sauce at a low temperature. Stir continuously. When the temperature reaches 115°F, remove from heat and stir in the remaining chocolate.
2. Let the chocolate cool until the temperature drops to 88°F. This process is called chocolate tempering, and it gives a nice glossy coating when the orange peels are dipped into it.
   
3. Bring the temperature back to 115°F and coat the orange peels. Lay the peels on parchment paper and let them cool and harden.

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