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Chocolate Covered Candied Orange Slices

Dec 14, 2022 | 0 comments

These candied orange slices are dipped in dark chocolate for a super easy, impressive snack, festive gift idea or garnish for baking. Just slice oranges, simmer them in sugar syrup, then dry them and dip them in chocolate.

Dark chocolate dipped candied orange slices laid out on a baking paper lined tray.

Chocolate and orange is a classic combination, and it’s celebrated in style with these lovely little slices. They’re so fun and festive and make wonderful gifts.

They’re also incredibly easy – the hardest thing with this recipe is waiting for the orange slices to dry. This does take time, so get them candied and starting to dry the day before you want to use them.

Ingredients

You literally need FOUR ingredients to make these orange slices!

Ingredients for candied orange slices laid out on a grey marble background and labelled.
  • Oranges. Any sweet orange will do here, just nothing TOO large as the peel will be too thick.
  • Sugar. Use white or caster sugar, rather than brown sugar.
  • Dark chocolate. Swap this for milk chocolate or white chocolate if you’re not a dark chocolate fan.
  • Flaky sea salt. I love the sweet and salty flavour and finished touch the sea salt brings, but just be aware that if you store the slices in a covered container you’ll find they’ll bring the moisture from the chocolate to the surface and will dissolve into little wet spots (I discovered this the hard way). So if you’re giving them as gifts, skip the sea salt.

How to make them

Cut your oranges into slices about 1cm (1/3″) thick. They need to be thicker than you’d expect so that they don’t fall apart when they’re simmering in the sugar syrup. If your orange peel looks particularly thick, boil the slices in water for a couple of minutes first (this will reduce the bitterness from the peel).

Add the sugar and water to a large pot over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the orange slices, bring the syrup to a simmer, then pop the lid on and simmer for an hour.

PRO TIP: Turn the orange slices over a couple of times throughout the simmering process, so they’re evenly coated in the syrup.

After this time, the orange pith should be looking a little more translucent. Set a wire cooling rack over a lined oven tray (the syrup will drip off so this is an easier way to clean that up!) Transfer the orange slices to the wire rack, then leave them to dry overnight.

Once they’re dried (they’ll be sticky still), melt your dark chocolate, then dip one-half of an orange slice in the chocolate. Set onto a lined tray and sprinkle with sea salt if you like. Leave to dry for a couple of hours, then enjoy.

PRO TIP: Save the orange sugar syrup! It’s wonderful in cocktails, or poured over an orange or lemon cake.

Got a question?

How long will the slices last?

Store them in an airtight container at room temperature, with pieces of baking paper separating each layer so they don’t stick to each other. Stored like this, they will last for at least 1 month.

Can I use a different chocolate?

Sure! Milk chocolate would be great, as would white chocolate.

My oranges taste bitter, what did I do wrong?

If your orange peel looks thick, you can boil the slices in water for a couple of minutes before adding them to the sugar syrup. This will reduce any bitter taste.

Like this recipe? Here are some more edible gift ideas you might like

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you. You can leave me a comment below.

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Dark chocolate dipped candied orange slices laid out on a baking paper lined tray.

Chocolate Dipped Candied Orange Slices


  • Author: Kate Alexandra
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 20 slices 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

These candied orange slices are dipped in dark chocolate for a super easy, impressive snack, festive gift idea or garnish for baking. Just slice oranges, simmer them in sugar syrup, then dry them and dip them in chocolate.

Remember, if you’re looking for US measurements, use the ‘Units’ section and click on ‘US’.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 large oranges
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • 50g dark chocolate

Instructions

  1. Slice your oranges. Cut your oranges into slices, about 1cm (1/3″) thick. You want them to be thicker than you might think – if they’re too thin, they’ll fall apart in the sugar syrup. 
  2. Simmer the oranges. Set a large pot over low heat, then pour in 2 cups of water and 2 cups of sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then add the orange slices. Bring to a simmer, then put the lid on (or use a plate or wooden board if your pot doesn’t have a lid). Simmer for 1 hour, turning the slices over a couple of times throughout this time, to make sure all the oranges are evenly coated in sugar syrup.
  3. Dry the oranges. After an hour, take the lid off the pot. The orange pith should be looking a little paler now – it won’t be properly transluscent, but it should look slightly different. Prepare a wire rack set over a tray lined with baking paper (this will make for an easy clean up). Spoon the orange slices from the sugar syrup, onto the wire rack. Leave to dry overnight (at least 12 hours ideally).
  4. Dip the oranges in chocolate. The next day, when you’re ready to coat the oranges, roughly chop your dark chocolate into small pieces. Put 2/3 of the chopped chocolate in a plastic microwave-safe bowl, then microwave at 20-second intervals, stirring in between. Once the chocolate is mostly melted, stir it vigorously until it does, then add about half of the remaining 1/3 of the chopped chocolate. Stir and let the residual heat melt it. Keep adding more chocolate, and stop stirring once the chocolate stops melting. Scoop out any remaining unmelted lumps. Melting the chocolate like this means we’ve tempered it – making it more shelf-stable. Line another tray or large plate with baking paper, then dip the orange slices into the melted chocolate. I like dipping half of one side in. Place on the prepared tray, then repeat with the remaining slices. Leave to set for about and hour, and you’re done.

Notes

Store the chocolate-dipped oranges in an airtight container, with a layer of baking paper separating each layer (so they don’t stick together). They’ll keep in this way for at least 1 month. 

Swap the dark chocolate for milk chocolate or white chocolate if you prefer.

Keep the orange sugar syrup – it makes a great cocktail garnish or syrup to pour over an orange cake.

OPTIONAL: I love sprinkling a little flaky sea salt over the chocolate after dipping the oranges – but if you’re giving these as gifts, skip it. The salt will cling to any remaining moisture in the oranges when they’re stored and turn into little wet spots.

  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 60
  • Category: snacks
  • Method: stove top
  • Cuisine: american

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 orange slice

Keywords: candied fruit, candied oranges, chocolate orange slices

Welcome!

I’m Kate, the creator behind Dished. I love creating flavour packed, simple (ish) recipes for you, designed for every day and special occasions.

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