Candied Orange Peel

Orange peel from 4-5 medium size oranges (you can use lemon peel as well)
Water
Salt

For syrup: 
1 cup of water
1 1/2 cup of sugar
1 tbs lemon juice 

Confectioners sugar to sprinkle

Wash oranges well. Cut the top (blossom end) and bottom (stem end) portion of the orange and peel the skin. Don't worry if you get the skin off with a thin layer of pith. It's fine. 

Place the peel in a saucepan and add cold water that would be enough to cover the peel. Let the water boil on a medium heat for 10 -15 minutes. Drain the water and return the peel to the saucepan.









Add cold water again to cover the peel. This time add a few pinches of salt, it'll remove bitterness. Boil again on medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Drain and return the peel to the saucepan. Repeat the last step again. If the bitterness is not gone after you boiled the peel three times, boil with salt again. 

Once ready, transfer the peel to a cutting board. Mix water and sugar for syrup in the saucepan and bring it to boil. Add lemon juice and let it boil on medium to high heat for 5-10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, cut the peel into 1/4 inch strips. Once the syrup boiled for 5-10 minutes, add the strips of peel. 




Stir the peel occasionally to ensure that it's covered by syrup evenly. Adjust the heat to low medium so the mixture will be simmering rather than boiling. You will know it's ready when you see the peel become translucent.  

Put a sheet of parchment paper on a cooling rack. Sprinkle confectioners sugar over the paper and place peel strips over it. Use tongs or two forks to separate them on the parchment paper. Sprinkle the confectioners sugar on top all over. Enjoy!