Today Marshall decided to try making sugared orange peel. Here is what he did:
Cut the orange peel into strips and remove the excess pith. Put it in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and then drain it. Do this two more times. In another pan, make a simple syrup using equal parts of water and sugar and bring to a boil. (Marshall used 3 cups each of water and sugar.) Add the orange peel and then simmer for about an hour, when the orange peel starts to get transluscent. Cool the orange peel in the syrup and then drain on a rack until tacky and mostly dry. At this point you can roll it in sugar.
The peels taste very good. We intend to dip the slices in semi sweet chocolate as soon as we temper up another batch, probably tomorrow. Marshall decided to make some orange curd so as not to waste the syrup. Here is the recipe for that:
Fresh Orange Curd
Yields about 3 cups
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 cups fresh orange juice (about 4 pounds navel oranges)
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
Preparation:
Combine sugar and cornstarch in a 3-quart saucepan; gradually whisk in fresh orange juice. Whisk in lightly beaten eggs. Bring to a boil (5 to 6 minutes) over medium heat, whisking constantly.
Cook, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture reaches a pudding-like thickness. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter and grated orange rind. Cover, placing plastic wrap directly on curd, and chill 8 hours.
