Candied Orange Peels

Today I'm making candied orange peels--something new to me.  I'm making them in preparation for Baking on Friday, when I intend to make Orange Hot Cross Buns.  I love baking, and these multi-day projects really turn my crank (that is, if I'm thinking ahead--at other times, they disappoint me).  I'm using a recipe I found on myrecipes.com in the December, 2007, issue of Sunset magazine.  Here's how it goes:

The recipe calls for five pounds of oranges.  I didn't need that much, so I only used 2 1/2 pounds, which amounted to three large oranges.  Then you slice them in half and juice them (I saved the juice).  Then you boil the peels in water for three minutes, three times, draining them and starting with fresh water each time.  (They wanted to float on top of the water, and so I ended up weighing them down with a wooden spatula.)  Then you allow them to cool. 

Now, this is where the recipe had me a little worried, because now I was supposed to scrape out the "membranes" with a soup spoon.  I was a little concerned about how this would go, but it was actually very simple, and I was left with six lovely half orange peels.  I sliced those up thin, and now I'm boiling them for the next three hours in a mixture of sugar and water.

That's as far as I've gotten, so I'll have to update you on how it goes.  They'll have to dry for eight hours after this step, and at some point, I'm supposed to toss them in sugar.

This is where having the right tool makes for an easier job.  To juice the oranges, I used my electric Citrus Star juicer. 

I really like this juicer.  It's easy to use and easy to clean.  The component parts can be washed in the dishwasher, but honestly, I usually just rinse it well with water and then put it away.  Nobody has died yet.  With citrus being as expensive as it is, I hate to waste any part of it.  That goes for grapefruit, lemons, and limes too.  It's possible to juice citrus using a reamer or one of those manual presses.

Those are both useful tools to have in your kitchen as well.  If I were only doing a small amount, that's probably what I'd do.  For this application, however, or for making key lime pie, or lemonade, an electric juicer can save a lot of time--and juice.

By the way, I went swimming this morning.  For those of you who remember my post about getting to the pool for the first time, I'm both happy and embarrassed to say that I went for the second time today.  The first time was 3 1/2 weeks ago.  I have a friend I report to about such things.  I won't see my friend for another three weeks, and I'm determined to be able to say I've gone every Tuesday and Thursday in between.  Anyone want to place any wagers on this?  Which side are you on?  Going?  Not going?  I'm not opposed to bribery, just so you know.  I'm sort of thinking of bribing myself with a new swimsuit if I go every Tuesday and Thursday for two months.  If I can do that, I'll have a habit started.  Either that, or I'll have a new swimsuit.  Just maybe I'll have both.

So, with that all taken care of, I'm off to sew.