Candied Orange Hot Chocolate (Printable Version)

Rich dark chocolate stirrers with bright candied orange and sea salt for a luxurious treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Candied Orange Peel

01 - 2 large oranges
02 - 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) water

→ Chocolate Coating

04 - 8 oz (225 g) high-quality dark chocolate, at least 60% cocoa, chopped
05 - 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional

→ Assembly

06 - 10 wooden sticks or lollipop sticks
07 - Extra sugar for rolling, optional

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Wash oranges thoroughly and score lengthwise into quarters. Carefully remove peel including white pith. Cut peel into thin strips approximately 1/4 inch wide. Place peels in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then drain. Repeat blanching process twice to reduce bitterness. In the same saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add orange peels and simmer on low heat for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent and tender. Remove peels with a fork and allow to cool on a parchment-lined tray. Optionally, toss in extra sugar to coat.
02 - Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Set over a pan of gently simmering water using the double boiler method, or microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Allow to cool slightly while remaining pourable.
03 - Thread 2-3 pieces of candied orange peel onto each wooden stick. Dip the lower half of each stick with orange peel into the melted chocolate, swirling to coat thoroughly. Lay sticks on a parchment-lined tray. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt if desired.
04 - Allow stirrers to set at room temperature or refrigerate for 20-30 minutes until firm. Wrap each stirrer in cellophane and tie with a ribbon for gifting.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Homemade gifts that taste infinitely better than store-bought and cost a fraction of the price.
  • The whole process is oddly meditative, especially that moment when translucent orange peels emerge from the syrup.
  • You get to eat the imperfect ones while the pretty ones go to friends.
02 -
  • Don't skip the blanching step no matter how tempted you are—bitter peel will ruin the entire gift, and three quick boils take maybe five minutes total.
  • Room temperature chocolate coating sets slower but looks glossier than refrigerated chocolate, which sets fast but can look dull and cracked.
03 -
  • If your chocolate seizes (gets grainy and thick), add a tiny bit of coconut oil and whisk gently—it won't be quite as silky, but it'll be salvageable.
  • The moment you see candied peels starting to look translucent is when they're perfect; one minute more of cooking and they tip toward mushy.
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