Candied Orange Peel

 

 

Original Recipe

TAke thicke Orenge péeles, and them cut in foure or fiue péeces, and steepe them in water the space of ten or twelue daies. You may know when they be stée∣ped enough, if you holde them vp in the sunne and sée through them, then they be steeped enough, & you cannot sée through them, then let them stéepe vntil you may. Then lay them to drye vpon a table, and put them to dry betwéen two linnen clo∣thes, then put them in a Kettell or vessell leaded, and adde to it as much Honny as will halfe couer the saide peeles, more or lesse as you think good, boyle them a little and stirre them alwaies, then take them from the fire, least the Honny should séeth ouermuch. For if it should boyle a little more then it ought to boyle, it would be thick. Let it thē stand and rest foure daies in the said Honny, stirring and mingling the Orrenge and Honny euery day toge∣ther. Because there is not honny enough to couer all the saide Orrenge péeles, you Page  43 must stir them well and oftentimes, thus doo thrée times, giuing them one bobling at ech time, then let thē stand thrée dayes then strain them from the honny, and af∣ter you haue let them boile a small space, take them from the fier, and bestow them in vessels, putting to them Ginger, cloues and Sinamon, mixe all together, and the rest of the Sirrope will serue to dresse o∣thers withall.

(The second part of the good hus-wiues iewell, from 1597, by Thomas Dawson)



Other Historical Recipe

ORENGAT: From Early French Cookery: Sources, History, Original Recipes and Modern Adaptations.� Scully, D. Eleanor and Scully, Terence, University of Michigan Press, 1995.� ISBN 0-472-10648-1. The original recipe reference given is Menagier de Paris (1393), p.265/�352

Pour faire Orengat, mettez en cinq quartiers les peleures d'une orenge et raclez a un coustel la mousse qui est dedans, puis les mettez tremper en bonne eaue doucle par neuf jours, et changez l'eaume chascun jour; puis les boulez en eaue doulce une seule onde. Et, ce fait, les faictes estendre sur une nappe et les laissiez essuier tres bien; puis les mettez en un pot, et du miel tant qu'ils soient tous couvers, et faites boulir a petit feu et escumer. Et quantvous croirez que le miel soit cuit--pour essaier s'il est cuit, ayez de l'eaue en une escuelle, et faites degouter en icelle eaue une goutte d'icelluy miel, et s'il s'espant, il n'est pas cuit; et se icelle goute de miel se tient en l'eau sans espandre, il est cuit--et lors devez traire vos peleures d'orenge. Et d'icelles faites par ordre un lit, et gettez pouldre de gingembre dessus, puis un autre, et getter etc., usque in infinitum; et laissier un mois ou plus, puis mengier.


To Make Candied Orange Peel, divide the peel of one orange into five quarters and scrape with a knife to remove the white part inside, then put them to soak in good sweet water for nine days, and change the water every day; then cook them in good water just till boiling, and when this happens, spread them on a cloth and let them get thoroughly dry, then put them in a pot with enough honey to cover them, and boil on a low fire and skim, and when you believe the honey is cooked, (to test if it is cooked, have some water in a bowl, and let drip into this one drop of the honey, and if it spreads, it is not cooked; and if the drop of honey holds together in the water without spreading out, it is cooked;) and then you must remove your orange peel, and make one layer with it, and sprinkle with ginger powder, then another layer, and sprinkle etc., and so on; and leave it a month or more, then eat.


Modern Interpretation

Slice orange peels. Scrape pulp from inside the peels. Put the peels in water and bring to a slow boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Repeat simmer fresh water. Remove peels from water and dry the peels. Put the dried peels in a pot and cover with honey. Bring the honey to a slow boil. Add in 1/2 tsp of ginger, 1/2 tsp of ground clove, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Stir occasionally. Place individual strips on waxed paper and allow time to dry. Serve and enjoy!

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