Serves: 24
Total Calories: 63

2 navel oranges
4 cups cold water
2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup cold water

Using a fork, prick the oranges all over. Cut the oranges into quarters and peel away the flesh. Remove as much of the white part as possible.

Combine the 4 cups water and salt in a large bowl, and add the orange rinds. Push down on the orange rinds with a spoon to completely submerge them in the water. Cover the surface of the water with a piece of plastic wrap set aside for several hours or overnight.

Combine the sugar and 1 cup water in a large saucepan over moderately high heat stir the mixture with a wire whisk until it comes to a boil and the sugar dissolves. Drain the orange rinds, and add them to the saucepan, turning them in the mixture until they are coated. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer the orange rinds for 45 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, allowing it to sit at room temperature for 2 hours or until the syrup cools. When cool, pour the syrup and orange rinds into a large bowl. Cover the surface of the syrup with a piece of plastic wrap, and leave at room temperature for several hours or overnight.

Remove the orange rinds from the syrup with a slotted spoon, and place them on a cake rack set over a sheet of waxed paper to catch any drippings. Allow the orange rinds to sit for 24 hours, then slice each one on the diagonal into 1/4-inch thick strips. The candied orange rinds can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

*To make Chocolate-Dipped Candied Orange Rinds, melt 2 to 3 ounces semisweet chocolate. After rinds are cut and dried, dip half to three-fourths of each rind in the chocolate, shake off the excess chocolate, and place them on a piece of parchment paper for 15 minutes, or until set.

**To make Candied Orange Spirals, instead of cutting the orange into quarters, remove the peel from the orange in one whole strip (don’t be discouraged if it breaks), starting at the top and working your way around until you get to the other end, making a free-form spiral. Using scissors, trim the orange rind and cut into strips 1/8- to 1/4-inch wide.

From ULTIMATE SMOOTHIES: delicious recipes for over 125 of the best smoothies, freezes, and blasts. Copyright © 2000 Donna Pliner Rodnitzky. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 24
Total Calories: 63
Calories from Fat: 0

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Apple Chips
Berries on a Skewer
Candied Orange Rinds
Caramelized Sugar Shards
Chocolate Bags
Chocolate Curls
Chocolate Hearts
Chocolate Shavings
Chocolate-Covered Spoons
Chocolate-Dipped Marshmallows
Chocolate-Dipped Tortilla Triangles
Cinnamon Wonton Crisps
Cinnamon-Coated Fusilli
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Espresso Brittle Shards
Fruit Skewers
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Lemon, Lime, and Orange Wheels
Marbleized Chocolate Shards
Melon Balls on a Skewer
Orange, Lemon, and Cherry Combo
Pineapple Chips
Pineapple Spears
Pineapple, Banana, and Cherry Charmer
Pineapple, Orange, and Cherry Blossoms
Pirouettes
Strawberry Fans
White Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries