Chocolate Dipped Candied Orange And Lemon Zest And Chocolate Covered Pretzels Recipes

CHOCOLATE DIPPED CANDIED ORANGE SLICES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and water.
• Heat mixture until sugar dissolves completely and mixture starts to boil.
• Remove from heat, pour into wide, shallow Tupperware, and cool completely.
• When syrup has cooled completely layer your sliced oranges in the syrup, pushing them down until all are mostly covered.
• Cover container to seal and place in refrigerator overnight (I've left them for as long as two days before candying.)
• Preheat oven to 170 degrees F. (You can have some variation here - please see notes.)
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Nest a wire cooling rack on top of the parchment.
• Place your oranges on the wire rack. (The wire rack allows the drying to come from top and bottom so that they oranges can dry evenly).
• Place oranges in oven. If you have a convection feature on your oven, turn it on. Leave the oven cracked open about 2 inches.
• Dry oranges for 2 to 2 and 1/2 hours, rotating pan every 30 minutes, and flipping oranges every hour to maintain uniform drying.
• You will know that the oranges are done when they are pliable and dry to the touch.
• Let oranges cool completely.
• Temper your chocolate over a double boiler (here are some handy tempering instructions) or heat chocolate morsels in microwave in 15-30 second increments at 50% power until melted.
• Dip 1/2 of orange into chocolate and place on waxed paper.
• If desired, sprinkle fleur de sel (or other coarse salt) over top of chocolate.
• Let cool until set.

CANDIED ORANGE SLICES DIPPED IN CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Cut the oranges in half lengthwise, with the cut side down slice the oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch slices, (you will have 1/2 of a slice of orange:DO-NOT peel),discard the ends.
• In a 10-inch saute pan combine the water and the 3 1/2 cups of sugar, stir to blend, then bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Add the orange slices, separating them, and simmer them gently for 1 hour uncovered; peroidically dunk any floating slices.
• Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
• Remove the orange slices, with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet to let drain and dry for 24 hours; NOTE; I dryed them in my oven set for for baked goods, or if oven has a pilot light, this worked great if it is a damp day.
• After drying the slices, toss them in the granulated sugar and reserve them, do not stack them as they will stick together.
• While you are coating the orange slices with the sugar, have the chocolate melting slowly in the top of a double boiler over 120 degree water: Chocolate can be melted in the microwave.
• When all the chocolate is melted and creamy and registers 100 degrees on an instant themometer, remove the top section from the double boiler.
• Add the 2-ounce of chocolate and gently stir until the thermometer reads 88 degrees to 91 degree, then remove what remains of the chunk of chocolate.
• Now dip the orange slices 2/3 of the way into the chocalate; gently scrape off excess chocolate against the side of the pan.
• Place the orange slices on a sheet of wax paper to set.
• Work quickly with the slices if the chocolate becomes to thick for dipping, place it over the 120 degree water again until it reaches 88 to 91 degrees.