Orange Cordial Food

ORANGE CORDIAL

Steps:

• Remove the peel from the oranges. Peel thin enough that you don't get any of the white pith.
• Place in a large saucepan together with the sugar and water. Heat until boiling. Reduce heat to create a fast simmer. Cook at this rate for 10 minutes.
• Whilst cooking, juice the 3 oranges (about 200mls).
• After 10 minutes simmering, remove from heat. Add the juice and citric acid; stir well.
• Leave to cool (about 2 hours).
• Strain and bottle.
• To serve mix a ratio of 1:5 cordial to water (ie 40ml cordial to 200mls water).

CANDIED ORANGE

Steps:

• Cut tops and bottoms off of the orange and score the orange into quarters, cutting down only into the peel and not into the fruit. Peel the skin and pith of the orange in large pieces, use the orange for another recipe. Cut the peel into strips about 1/4-inch wide. Put the orange peel in a large saucepan with cold water to cover, bring to a boil over high heat. Then pour off the water. Repeat 1 or 2 more times depending up how assertive you want the orange peels to be. (Test kitchen liked the texture of a 3 time blanch best, it also mellowed the bitterness. But it is a matter of preference.) Remove the orange peels from the pan.
• Whisk the sugar with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 to 9 minutes (If you took the sugar's temperature with a candy thermometer it would be at the soft thread stage, 230 to 234 degrees F.) Add the peels and simmer gently, reducing heat to retain a simmer. Cook until the peels get translucent, about 45 minutes. Resist the urge to stir the peels or you may introduce sugar crystals into the syrup. If necessary, swirl the pan to move the peels around. Drain the peels, (save the syrup for ice tea.) Roll the peels in sugar and dry on a rack, for 4 to 5 hours. Return to the sugar to store.
• Cook's Note: One way to use orange peels is to stuff a dried date with a piece of orange peel and almond, then dip the entire thing into dark chocolate.

ORANGE CORDIAL FUDGE BALLS

Steps:

• Mix the crumbs with the liqueur and set aside.
• Melt the chocolate with the butter in the top of a double boiler.
• Stir chocolate mixture and corn syrup into crumb mixture to blend.
• Add the sugar and 1/2 cup of the chopped nuts and stir; the dough will be stiff.
• Shape the dough by spoonfuls into balls and roll in the remaining 1 cup of chopped nuts.
• Store in the freezer until shortly before giving or using.

CRANBERRY ORANGE CORDIAL

Steps:

• Coarsely chop the cranberries.
• Mix the cranberries in the sugar, orange zest and spices until well coated.
• Stir in the liquids.
• Pour into large glass jar and put in cool dark place for 1 month, shaking every few days.
• Strain out the solids.
• Pour into clean jar.