Use a knife to cut the peels of oranges .into quarters. Peel the oranges carefully, trying to keep the peels intact as much as possible. Set the peeled oranges aside and reserve for another use..
Slice the peels into long, thin strips .Using a sharp knife, cut away the bitter white pith from the underside of the peels. Don't worry if small amounts of white pith remain. Place the peels in a medium saucepan and cover them with cold water.
Place the pan over high heat and bring the pot to a boil. Once boiling, remove the pan from the heat and drain the peels out. Repeat the process of boiling the peels twice more--this step removes much of the bitterness from the peels and gives you a sweeter product. Although some bitterness remains.
Combine the water and sugar and in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally while the sugar dissolves, and bring the sugar syrup to a simmer.
Add the strips of peel and turn the heat down to low, until the mixture is just at a simmer. Simmer the peels at a low heat for about 30minutes or until the peels are translucent. .
Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow it to cool to lukewarm.Once cool, take out the peels and set them on a wire rack to dry out. You can let them dry out naturally, for about 24 hours.For sugar-coated peels, roll them in granulated sugar mixed with dry pudina powder .
Note -These peels can be chopped at this point to use in baked goods, cakes, cookies salads and other spreads or marmalades.
