Candied Orange Slices
Originally published November 30, 2015, Updated on 10/10/20
These Candied Orange Slices are a 2-step progression that results in 4 products, each using the leftovers of the step before.
I'm really not one for using other people's recipes at all - I prefer to make my own!
That said, I was surfing Facebook a while back, and saw a recipe that my favourite magazine - Canadian Living - posted: Candied Orange and Ginger Bark!
Unfortunately, it’s no longer available on their website, as I update this post 5 years later!
Anyway, if you’d seen it, you’d know why I *obviously* had to make it!
I do candied orange slices differently, though.. so decided that I should share my recipe/ method with you. You know, mostly as an excuse to share gorgeous pictures of these gorgeous orange slices.
Make more than you think - you'll start snacking on them, and they'll disappear in no time. Best candy ever! It’s also an ingredient in my Festive Easy Fudge recipe - another recipe inspired by Canadian Living, interestingly enough!
When it comes to making candied/crystallized items, I like to avoid wasting anything. The "byproducts" made in the process are delicious in their own right.
You may remember from an old post that when I make Candied Ginger, I actually end up with 3 separate items: the candied ginger, ginger syrup, and ginger sugar.
When making my candied orange slices for the Canadian Living recipe, I decided to shake things up a bit and make my crystalized ginger in the same syrup I cooked the tangerines in.. and ended up with not only my Candied Tangerines, but a lightly orange flavoured crystalized ginger, a ginger-tangerine "honey", and tangerine-ginger sugar.
The "honey" - a very, very thick, caramelized simple syrup - is fantastic in tea, as an example.
Candied Orange Slices
In the first step, oranges are thinly sliced, seeded, and placed in a pot of boiling sugar syrup.
After gently simmering for 45 minutes, the slices are removed and allowed to drip dry over some granulated sugar, eventually being dredged in sugar.
Orange Crystalized Ginger
In the second step, slices of fresh ginger are added to the pot of now-orange-flavoured sugar syrup and cooked for another 45 minutes.
They’re then strained out of the syrup, tossed with the sugar that the orange slices had been drip drying over, and allowed to dry
Orange-Ginger Sugar
Once the Orange Candied Ginger is removed from the sugar, the sugar is run though a food processor to break up any clumps. This also better combines the orange and ginger flavours.
Use this Orange-Ginger Sugar to add a bit of extra flavor to your baking, to coffee or tea, or to rim your cocktail glasses!
Orange-Ginger "Honey"
Once you've transferred the ginger to the sugar pan, you will be left with a golden coloured, very thick syrup. You can add a little hot water to thin it out, if you like.
Transfer to a clean mason jar, store in the fridge. (It may thicken / harden - it will liquify when warmed up!).
Use in tea, or as a replacement for honey in most recipes.
More Holiday Treats
Looking for more inspiration for your holiday goodies tray? Whether Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or any of the other holidays, here are a few ideas for you!
Blood Orange Cranberry Toffee
Boozy Chocolate Haystack Cookies
Candied Orange Slices
Creme de Menthe Nanaimo Bars
Festive Easy Fudge
Fruitcake Cookies
Noelles
Pecan Pie Cookies
Peppermint Patties
Sweet Ecstasy Cookies
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Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you Instagram it, be sure to tag me - @OverlordMarie - or post it to My Facebook Page - so I can cheer you on!
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Well, the published nonsense, anyway!
Now, on to that Candied Orange Slices recipe!
Candied Orange Slices, Orange Crystallized Ginger, and Orange Ginger Honey
Ingredients
Candied Orange Slices
- 2 -3 Large Oranges Ideally seedless
- 2 ½ Cups Granulated Sugar
- 1 Cup Water
- Additional Sugar
Orange Syrup Crystallized Ginger
- 1 lb Ginger
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- Additional Sugar
Instructions
Candied Orange Slices
- Slice oranges very thinly – aiming for just slightly thinner than ¼″. Remove and discard all seeds, if applicable
- In a large pot, bring water and sugar to a boil. Add orange slices, gently stirring to separate and coat with sugar water.
- Once syrup comes back to a boil, turn temperature down enough to keep it just at a good simmer – NOT a full boil – and simmer for about 45 minutes. I like to gently stir every 10-15 minutes or so, to ensure all of the slices are getting full exposure to the syrup.
- As you wait for the simmering oranges, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread a good amount of sugar over the parchment paper – a cup or two, enough to get a nice layer of sugar. Set up a drying/cooling rack over the sugar pan.
- Once the 45 minutes are up, remove pan from heat. Use a fork to gently remove orange slices from the syrup, allowing excess syrup to drip off into the pan.
- Arrange drained slices on the rack, allow to drip and cool for 30 minutes or so. Once time is up, flip them and allow to sit for another 30 minutes or so.
- Gently dredge orange slices in sugar from the parchment paper, making sure both sides are evenly coated. Arrange on the rack once again, allow to dry overnight
- Store in an airtight container, use within a week or so.
Orange Syrup Crystallized Ginger
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel all of the skin (rind?) off of the ginger, carefully slice it all into uniformly thin pieces. (I like to aim for between ⅛″ and ¼″ thick).
- Place into pot of orange syrup. Bring syrup back up to a boil, turn temperature down enough to keep it just at a good simmer – NOT a full boil – and simmer for about 45 minutes. I like to gently stir every 10-15 minutes or so, to ensure all of the slices are getting full exposure to the syrup.
- As you wait for the ginger to cook, top up the sugar in the parchment lined baking sheet. You’ll want a good solid layer.
- Once the 45 minutes are up, add 1 cup of sugar to the pot, and stir well. Simmer for 10 more minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove ginger from the syrup, allowing excess liquid to drop back into the pan. As you strain liquid off, put ginger into the sugar lined baking pan, tossing to coat.
- Allow ginger to cool and dry for a few hours.
Orange-Ginger Sugar
- Transfer the ginger pieces to an airtight container, gently knocking them against each other (I’ll roll them in my hands) to dislodge any loose, excess sugar. Cover tightly, store at room temperature.
- You’ll be left with a fair amount of excess sugar, mostly clumpy. Run all of that through a food processor until it’s as fine as you’d like it – this will depend on your desired uses for it. Transfer to an airtight container, store at room temperature.
- Use it to add a bit of extra flavor to your baking, to coffee or tea, or to rim your cocktail glasses!
Orange-Ginger “Honey”
- Once you’ve transferred the ginger to the sugar pan, you will be left with a golden coloured, very thick syrup. You can add a little hot water to thin it out, if you like.
- Transfer to a clean mason jar, store in the fridge. (It may thicken / harden – it will liquify when warmed up!).
- Use in tea, or as a replacement for honey in most recipes.
I just made your candied oranges. And they turned out amazing! I do plan on trying the ginger later this week I'd like to make some more for our Thanksgiving dinner. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!!
This recipe is amazing. I loved it very much. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the great idea, one more by product...simmer the ginger peel to make ginger tea.
Wow! I love this idea. I like both candied oranges and candied ginger. Have you tried it in reverse, to give the candied oranges a ginger flavor?
Wow! Thank you. I make candied orange peel and candied ginger but this sounds wonderful. How clever. I do keep the ginger syrup, hot! And the sugars from candy made. I like the idea of the honey. Can't wait to try this. Great idea!!
I tried this recipe. I love them, they're beautiful too.
This is a great ... well it’s more than a recipe! C’mon. I think you are an intuitive cook with huge creativity. You’ve made a universe of candied oranges, candied ginger, and other magic things that result from your experimentation. Much appreciated!
Aww, thank you so much!