Naranjas confitadas are a traditional Guatemalan sweet made from orange peel cooked in syrup until tender and translucent.
It’s a use-it-up sweet, ideal for using peels that are normally discarded, with a sweet, slightly citrusy flavor.
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Guatemalan Candied Orange Peel
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Guatemalan
Ingredients
- 6 orange peels, thick
- 2 cups of sugar
- 2 cups of water
- Extra sugar, for coating, to taste (optional)
- Water for blanching the peels
Preparation
- Prepare the peels, cut the orange peels into strips and scrape off excess of the inner white part, which is bitter.
- Boil, boil the peels in water for a few minutes, changing the water two or three times to remove the bitterness.
- Make the syrup, boil the sugar with the water until you get a light syrup.
- Cook the peels, add the drained orange peels to the syrup and cook over low heat until tender and translucent, and the syrup has reduced considerably.
- Drain, remove the peels from the syrup and let them drain on a rack.
- Coat, roll the peels in extra sugar, if desired, while still damp.
- Dry, let dry before serving or storing.
Tips for getting it right
- Changing the boiling water several times is key to removing the peel’s natural bitterness.
- Scraping off excess of the inner white part also helps reduce bitterness.
- Cooking over low heat and with patience lets the peels turn translucent without burning.
- The leftover syrup can be reused to sweeten other preparations.
Traditional variations
- It’s a use-it-up sweet, ideal for using orange peels that are normally discarded.
- It can be made similarly with peels from other citrus fruits, like grapefruit or lemon.
How to serve
Naranjas confitadas are served at room temperature, as a treat or dessert decoration.
It’s a traditional use-it-up sweet, valued for its sweet, citrusy flavor.
Recommended sides
- Coffee
- Chocolate
Did you know?
Naranjas confitadas are a traditional way to make full use of the fruit, without wasting the peel.
They’re also used as decoration for cakes and other desserts, in addition to being eaten on their own as a treat.
Frequently Asked Questions
They're a traditional Guatemalan sweet made from orange peel cooked in syrup until tender and translucent.
Changing the water helps remove the orange peel's natural bitterness before cooking it in the syrup.
Yes, the same technique can be applied to grapefruit or lemon peel, with similar results.
Besides being eaten as a treat, they're frequently used as decoration for cakes and other desserts.
