It may help to gently cut (called “scoring”) the white orange pith, but not through to the fruit itself.Ĥ. Peel the clementines and take off as much as you can of the pith that was left on the peeled oranges. You’ll end up with about a heaping ¼ cup of matchsticks.ģ. Cut the zest into 1-2 inch long thin pieces, trim off the ragged edges and cut each piece lengthwise as thinly as possible into matchsticks. (If you get any, gently slice it off the rind with the small knife.)Ģ.

Using the peeler, remove the skin (zest) from the 2 oranges, using a light touch so that you get as little of the inside white pith as possible.

1 tablespoon orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau.

½ cup water (plus extra for boiling the peel).

I haven’t tried Mandarin oranges they are smaller than navel oranges and easy to peel, but their peel may not work as well for the candied matchsticks. Seville oranges have too many seed and tend to taste bitter. A few specifics – The skin of Valencia oranges is thin and difficult to remove. While you can substitute some other types of oranges for navel, use a sweet variety that has skin that can be easily removed. If the oranges or clementines don’t taste like much when you eat them fresh, they are not going to improve by adding syrup.

The small knife must be sharp use the tip as if it was an X-acto knife (for those who have used that tool.) While precision is required to cut the orange peel matchsticks, the recipe is otherwise straightforward. It is lovely paired with madeleines or other simple cookies. The result is what I would call a variation on the theme of oranges in syrup. Later, after making a wonderful clementine cake from Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem cookbook, I realized that clementines would provide an interesting contrast when paired with the navel oranges specified in the original version. After making it, I created an adaptation when my husband said the syrup was too sweet. He posted a recipe for oranges in simple syrup on Epicurious. Instead, credit goes to Chuck Williams, the founder of Williams-Sonoma. The idea is genius, but not one for which I can take credit. Remember simple syrup from my limoncello adventure? This is a citrus and simple syrup dessert that requires no more expertise than the ability to cut and stir.

If you love simple recipes and delight in presentation that would make Martha Stewart swoon, oranges and clementines in syrup is the dessert for you.

Drying clementine slices