Photo by Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post
These Chocolate Dipped Orange Crisps are a certified holiday favorite around here. Cutting a whole orange into very thin wheels using a mandoline and then baking the slices at a low temperature turns them into crisp stained-glass rounds of concentrated orange flavor. A sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar that dissolves into the fruit as it cooks offsets the intense bitterness of the peel without making it taste sticky-sweet, and a finishing dip in melted chocolate turns this confection into a festive treat.
In testing, we found it easier and safer to use 2 oranges to get the 24 slices.
Make Ahead: The dipped crisps need to be refrigerated for at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 weeks, before serving. Store in an airtight container (layered between pieces of wax paper)
Chocolate-Dipped Orange Crisps
Ingredients
1 large or 2 medium navel oranges, well scrubbed (see headnote)
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
Directions
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 200 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Use a mandoline to cut the oranges into 24 very thin slices. Discard any pits (sometimes found even in navel oranges), then arrange the orange slices on the baking sheets in a single layer. Sprinkle them with the sugar. Bake (upper and lower racks) for about 2 hours, until the oranges are dried and crisp, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 1 hour. Cool completely. Line the baking sheets with wax paper.
Place the chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH in 30-second intervals, stirring after each time until the chocolate is just melted and smooth. Dip the orange slices in chocolate to coat them halfway, returning them to the wax paper-lined baking sheets once they are dipped. (Tip the bowl as needed to get coverage once the chocolate level gets low.)
Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until set.
Makes 8 servings
Serving size: 24 pieces
Per serving: Calories 35; Total Fat 2g; (Sat Fat 1g); Protein 0g; Carb 5g; Fiber 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 0mg; Total Sugar 3g
