CANDIED ORANGE PEEL

Steps:

• Halve and juice the oranges. Reserve the juice for another use and put the orange rinds in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add water to cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer until the rinds are tender, 30 minutes to 1 hour. How long this will take depends on the thickness of the rinds, so start checking them after 30 minutes to make sure they're not overcooking and turning mushy. To check for doneness, pluck one out and let it cool a minute; the rinds are cooked when you can easily scrape away most of the inner white pith with a spoon or a knife.
• Drain the rinds, and when cool enough to handle, cut each piece in half. Using a spoon or paring knife, scrape or cut away the inner white pith. Cut the rinds into strips 1/4 inch (6 mm) wide.
• In a large saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, combine the 3 cups (750 ml) water, 4 1/2 cups (900 g) sugar, and the corn syrup, if using. Bring to a boil, then add the strips of orange peel and cook over medium heat until the temperature reaches 225°F (110°C) and the peel turns translucent.
• Place the candied peel in a strainer and stir a few times to make sure as much syrup drips off as possible. Spread the strips out on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and allow to dry for 2 to 3 hours.
• Spread the remaining 1 1/2 cups (300 g) sugar on a baking sheet. Place the orange peel strips in the sugar and toss with your fingers to separate the pieces and coat them well with sugar. Lift out the strips and shake off the excess sugar with your hands or place them in a colander and shake well. Set the sugar-coated strips on the wire rack and let dry overnight at room temperature.
• Storage
• The candied peel will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
• Variations
• You can substitute tangerines for the oranges. Note that the initial cooking time might be shorter because tangerine peels tend to be thinner. Lemon rinds can be candied this way, too.
• Tip
• Letting the peel dry thoroughly overnight is important because excess moisture can shorten the lifespan of the candied peel. If for some reason the peel gets too dry during storage, you can rehydrate it and make it more flavorful by soaking it in an orange-flavored liqueur such as Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or Triple Sec before chopping and adding to a batter.