Orange and Chocolate

     I have to admit that there are very few things that I can say do not mix with chocolate,(2  minutes of reflection). I actually cannot think of anything at the moment……..no, still nothing……. I use chocolate for just about everything; for sauces, soups even, breads, even in my chili, cakes, candies, you name it!

Some time ago while I was grocery shopping, I was clearly hungry and had not eaten breakfast yet. I always tell ymself that I will never go shopping on a hungry stomach, but I never seem to learn. I found myself wanting everything that my eyes caught sight of.  I just packed and packed …and packed the shopping cart as my stomach so dictated. When I arrived home and took note of all of the things I had purchased, I realised that I had clearly gone WAY overboard.

For one thing, I had oranges upon oranges and knew that I would hardly have the time to eat them up before they went off (they were not the juicing oranges). Why did I buy so many??!!! They looked so orange-y in colour and the smell was so intense that when I closed my eyes I felt as if I was in the tropics. Really!! It was a dreary, cold, grey, and  awfully wet day and that scent of the orange clearly took me away-even if only for that second. So, I put in not a couple, not a few, not a dozen but 2 dozen oranges into my cart…and here is what I did to them:

So, there I was in my kitchen not really knowing what to do with all the oranges and then I turned to the shelf where I keep my chocolate. I had recently flipped through my cookbooks and saw a glorious photo of orange peels dipped in chocolate! I had never made them before and now was the time to begin!

 

after cutting the peels, I blanched them for three times in hot water.

I addded some agave syrup and let it cook for 45 minutes. Then! I dipped them into melted chocolate, eating  2 pieces right away for every 1 that I placed on the try to dry. Yes, I was terribly full by the end of it. But terribly happy and most fulfilled!!!

 

Chocolate Orange slices anyone?