Candied Orange Rind Chocolates

I got this recipe from The Food Network which was featured in on The Sprouting Seed's 30 Uses for Orange Rind... brilliant! These were so delicious, I ate most of them myself. Even hubby liked them and he HATES rind and zest in anything!

Candied Orange Rind Chocolates

Ingredients

1 large navel orange

3/4 cup vegan sugar, I used brown

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, I used Enjoy Life

Method

Using a vegetable peeler, cut the orange part of the peel from the stem end of the orange down to the navel end, forming long 3/4 to 1-inch-wide strips. 

Bring a heavy small saucepan of water to a boil. 

Add the peels and cook for 1 minute. 

Drain and then rinse the peels under cold water. 

Repeat cooking the peels in the saucepan with fresh boiling water and rinsing under cold water.

Stir the sugar and 1/2 cup of fresh water in a heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. 

Add the orange peels and simmer over medium-low heat until tender, about 15 minutes. 

Using tongs, transfer the peels to a sheet of parchment paper to dry slightly, about 1 hour.

Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Stir the chocolate in a small bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Dip 1 1/2-inches of each candied orange peel into the chocolate then place them on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 15 minutes.