- Categories:
- Food & Beverage
- Tags:
- CandyFruit
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- Every May 4
- Holiday emoji:
- 🍊
National Candied Orange Peel Day brightens the calendar every May 4, honoring a centuries-old sweet. This aromatic confection, made by simmering citrus peels in sugar syrup, offers a delightful balance of bitter and sweet. Discover its versatility as an edible garnish, a standalone treat, or an ingredient in baked goods. Try making your own batch or seek out gourmet versions to celebrate.
Want to sponsor National Candied Orange Peel Day? Learn how
History of National Candied Orange Peel Day
On National Candied Orange Peel Day, chefs and sweet aficionados all across the country celebrate the goodness and versatility of candied orange peel.
Candied fruits have been around for a long time. They are time-consuming to make but fairly simple. Candying fruits and fruit peels requires very few ingredients and can be prepared easily.
To candy orange peels, the first step is to remove the pith. The pith is the white part of the peel, on the inside. It is extremely bitter and will affect the flavor of the orange peels, regardless of the amount of sugar used. Then the peel is further cut up into strips, usually about a quarter-inch wide.
Sometimes, chefs prefer to remove the peel in a single long strip. This is especially useful when the candied orange peel is going to be used as a decorative element in the plating of a dessert or dish. The cut-up orange peel is added to a pot of boiling water for about 15 minutes. The water is then drained off and the peels are rinsed.
The next step is making the sugar syrup, which is done by dissolving one part sugar in one part water. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, the cut and boiled strips of orange peel are added to the pot of sugar syrup and allowed to soak in the syrup for about 45 minutes or so, until the peel is very soft. Then the excess water is drained off and the peels are set aside to dry, which might take a couple of days depending on the weather. These peels can be made before they are needed and can last up to a few months depending on the recipe. Your candied orange peels can also be frozen and used later.
National Candied Orange Peel Day timeline
People from the area now known as the Middle East first make candied fruits.
As sugar becomes cheaper, more people can afford it, and this makes candied fruit and fruit peels more accessible to common people.
Mass production of candied fruit and fruit peels becomes possible.
During the great depression, candying is an important way of preserving vegetables.
National Candied Orange Peel Day FAQs
When is National Candied Orange Peel Day?
In 2027, this sweet celebration takes place on Tuesday, May 4, providing another opportunity to savor the aromatic treat.
How is candied orange peel traditionally made?
The process involves blanching the peels multiple times to remove bitterness, then slowly cooking them in progressively thicker sugar syrups before a final drying and sugaring stage.
What are popular uses for candied orange peel?
Beyond snacking, it’s a staple in many baked goods like panettone, fruitcakes, and cookies, adding a bright, citrusy flavor and chewy texture to a variety of confections.
Is candied orange peel good for you?
As a confection, it’s best viewed as an occasional indulgence rather than a health food. The candying process, while preserving the fruit, adds significant amounts of sugar.
National Candied Orange Peel Day Activities
Candy some orange peel
What better way to get a head start on all your holiday baking than to get your candied orange peel ready a few months early? You’ll get the freshest fruits to candy and use in your baking months later.
Buy candied peel from a farmer’s market
If you’re not comfortable cooking, head over to your closest farmer’s market and get yourself some candied orange peel made by your local experts!
Bake something with candied orange peel
Fruit cakes typically call for candied orange peel so take a day to appreciate this versatile sweet and bake yourself a treat with it!
5 Important Facts About Candied Fruits
Ancient civilizations used sugar as a preservative
The use of sugar to preserve fruits and fruit peels dates as far back as ancient China and Mesopotamia, even if the candying process began with the Arabs in the Middle East.
The Italians popularized candied fruits
Traditional Sicilian cuisine was heavily influenced by the Arabs and candied fruits were an instant hit in Italy.
Before sugar, honey was used
The tradition of candying fruits has been around for a long time, and before sugar was popularized, honey was the main ingredient.
The industrial way takes longer
Factory-made candied fruits are soaked in sugar syrup of increasing concentrations to complete the preservation process and make the peels last a long time.
Kool-Aid was used to candy fruits
During the Great Depression, people had to use what they had, and when sugar was scarce, they made use of Kool-Aid and fruit juice to candy fruits and fruit peels.
Why We Love National Candied Orange Peel Day
It’s an excuse to eat some orange peel
Candied orange peel has loads of flavor and we love eating it! Snack on a piece while you’re decorating a cake or candying more orange peel.
It’s a great way to prepare for the holidays
The freshest fruits are available in summer, and we know candied orange peel keeps well. Take advantage and get candying so that when it’s time to do your holiday baking, there’s so much less to do.
We want to try candying
We want an excuse to soak fruits and fruit peels in sugar syrup. What better day to do so than National Candied Orange Peel Day?
