Candied orange peel (zest)

...and finally, I made my own.

Candied orange peel (zest)
adapted from Giallo Zafferano
time: 20 min preparation + 4 hrs inactive + 1hr50min cooking + 20 min cooling = 1/2 day
makes 700 g (25 oz) candied peels

 ingredients 
peels from 5 medium oranges (Navel variety, f.ex., with a thick, soft, even skin), washed well
about* 500 g (2 1/2 cups) sugar
about* 500 ml (2 cups) water

3/4 cup sugar for finishing

 instructions 
Cut peels in wedges. Place them in a pot, cover with water. Bring to boil and cook for 2 minutes on medium/high. Take it off the heat. Let everything cool to room temperature (I gave it a good hour). Discard the water. Cover peels with fresh water again and repeat the process two more times (cooking, cooling, straining).

After you discard water for the third (last) time, weigh the peels. You'll need the same weight of both, sugar and water,  for the next step. *(f.ex. if your peels weigh 100g/3.5oz, you add 100g/3.5 oz sugar and 100g/3.5oz water). Place peels, water and sugar in a medium pot. Bring to boil, mix sugar to dissolve. Adjust heat to medium and cook for about 50 minutes, mixing occasionally. Lover temperature to medium/low and cook more for about 60 minutes, till almost all liquid gone.

Remove from heat. Using a wooden fork, take out individual peels and place them on a piece of parchment paper to cool. After about 30 minutes, roll them in sugar and let them dry completely (overnight). Store candied peels in a glass jar with a lid.

NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES

• they are actually good to eat...OK, too sweet, but good;
• full of flavor, color and substance;
• Sicilians like to dip them in chocolate and eat as Christmas treats; my teeth just hurt;
• in the rest of Italy, candied orange peels are used in baking and decorating, just like in my home;
• the first steps of the process are to get rid of any bitterness;
• the main cooking is long and you kind of have to keep an eye on it, especially the last 30 minutes;
• the liquid should never get dark (light orange - OK), just dense; 
• if it gets dark (like honey) and you start smelling burned orange...you probably caramelized your peels; no good - discard and try again the next day...or not;
• the last 30 minutes: keep checking on the peels, stir them gently to see if those on the bottom are not getting burned; no good...
• take the peels out when almost but not all the sticky liquid is gone; it's safer to do so than burn;
• the sticky stuff is extremely hot, so use caution !!!
• the peels should remain soft when dried; they can be stored for months;
• the leftover pulp, I turned into orange juice (about 4 cups) and put it in the freezer;
• when you cut this pulp into pieces...the whole kitchen smells like oranges.