Orangettes Recipe – Chocolate-Covered Candied Orange Peel

Written by Loredana Arion in Desserts

Overhead view of orangettes in a glass jar tied with twine, with more pieces on the wooden surface

Since moving to Cluj, we’ve developed a little ritual: whenever we go to Iulius Mall, we make a point of stopping at Coffee Beans, a small shop filled with chocolate and coffee. It’s impossible to leave empty-handed.

One of *le husband’s little indulgences is orangettes. They have to be covered in milk chocolate, because dark chocolate makes him sneeze. 😂

So I decided to try making them at home, from scratch. How hard could it be? Just some orange peel dipped in chocolate…

Well, it wasn’t hard. But the whole process was so time-consuming that I spent half the day in the kitchen. Not complaining, though: they turned out just like the ones we used to buy, so satisfaction level 9999.

What Are Orangettes?

Orangettes are strips of candied orange peel coated in chocolate. The orange flavour takes centre stage, with the chocolate adding another layer of sweetness.

I went with milk chocolate, for the very serious reasons mentioned above. 😁

They may be small, but making them takes patience. The technique isn’t particularly difficult. It’s the drying stage that you really can’t rush.

Orangettes on a wooden surface, with candied orange peel visible inside two broken pieces and a jar in the background

Why You’ll Love This Orangettes Recipe

Orange and chocolate make a great team. The citrus flavour and sweet chocolate coating are what these little treats are all about.

You get to use the orange peel, too. The part you’d usually throw away becomes the star of the recipe.

No oven needed. Just a little kitchen space and some patience.

The result is worth the wait. Mine turned out just like the orangettes we used to buy. 😀

Chocolate-coated orange peel strips laid separately on parchment paper

Chocolate-covered candied orange peel in a glass jar tied with twine

What to Know Before You Start

A Few Oranges Make More Orangettes Than You’d Expect

It wasn’t until I’d started that I realised I had far more peel than I’d expected. Naturally, I stubbornly decided to use all of it. 🙂

Make sure you have enough room on your wire rack and parchment paper. The strips need space, especially while they’re drying and while the chocolate is setting.

The White Pith and the Bitter Taste

For this recipe, I removed the excess white pith from the inside of the peel. You want strips that are easy to handle, without trimming them so thin that they fall apart.

The initial boiling stage helps reduce bitterness. It’s separate from cooking the peel in syrup, so keep the steps in the order given in the recipe.

Drying Takes the Most Patience

The first time I made these, I left the peel to dry for about three hours on a wire rack beside an open window. That was also when I decided I’d leave it overnight next time.

Allow for that waiting time when planning your day. This isn’t a dessert to start just before you want to serve it.

Peeled oranges and pieces of orange peel with white pith visible on a green cutting board beside a knife

Pieces of orange peel with some of the white pith removed on a green cutting board beside a knife

Orangettes FAQs

Can I Use Dark Chocolate Instead of Milk Chocolate?

Yes, you can use dark chocolate for the coating. Depending on the chocolate you choose, the finished orangettes will taste less sweet and have a more intense chocolate flavour. The version I made uses milk chocolate.

What Kind of Oranges Should I Use for Orangettes?

Choose oranges with peel suitable for eating, and check the label for information about post-harvest treatments. The peel should be sound, with no mould or damaged areas.

Can I Use Lemons or Grapefruit Instead of Oranges?

Lemon and grapefruit peel can also be candied and coated in chocolate, but the flavour will be different. I haven’t tested those variations for this recipe, so the quantities and cooking times given here are for oranges.

Do I Need to Temper the Chocolate?

For my version, I simply melted the chocolate over a water bath. Tempering can be useful if you want a shinier coating that releases more easily from the parchment paper and stays firmer at room temperature.

Can I Give Orangettes as a Gift?

Yes. Once the chocolate coating has fully set, you can arrange them in a food-safe gift box. Keep them away from heat and direct sunlight during transport so the chocolate doesn’t soften.

More Orange Desserts

If you love orange and chocolate together, try my Dark Chocolate Orange Oatmeal Cookies.

For an orange and vanilla combination, try these Orange Muffins with Vanilla Cream.

Orangettes Recipe – Chocolate-Covered Candied Orange Peel

Recipe by Loredana Arion

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hour

minutes

Drying time

hours

Homemade orangettes with fragrant candied orange peel and a milk chocolate coating. A little patience is needed, but these citrus treats are worth the wait.

Ingredients

Peel from 5 oranges
1½ cups sugar*
1½ cups water for the syrup*
400 g milk chocolate
Water for the initial boiling stage

Directions

Wash and peel the oranges.
Trim the excess white pith from the inside of the peel, then cut the peel into thin strips.
Place the strips in a saucepan with water and boil for 15 minutes to reduce bitterness.
Drain the peel and rinse under cold running water.
In a separate saucepan, combine the sugar and water for the syrup.
Bring the syrup to a boil, then add the orange peel.
Cook the peel in the syrup for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Transfer the candied peel to a wire rack and leave to dry for approximately 3 hours, as in the original batch.
Melt the milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water.
Using a fork, dip each strip of candied peel into the melted chocolate and place on parchment paper.
Leave the orangettes until the chocolate coating has set.