Orangettes...

These have become some what of a christmas tradition with me, firstly because they are so yummy and secondly because I love giving homemade gifts and these are ideal.
You will need to allow yourself 3 days to make them, with each step only taking about 30 mins per day.
I use the 'peel' recipe from 'Family's Festivals and Food' as it's nice and simple:

Peel of 4 (organic) oranges
1/2 oz bicarb. of soda
water
granulated  sugar

Wash the fruit. Remove peel in quarters, remove as much loose pith as possible. Soak the peel in bicarb. and 2 pints of water for 30 mins, then strain away water, cover peel with fresh water and simmer until tender for 30 mins.  Slice the skins into strips, roughly the same size.

things start to smell fantastic right about now!

Now make sugar syrup: 8oz sugar and 1/2 pint water in which peel was boiled, add the drained peel and simmer for 30 mins until transparent and syrup thickens.  Remove peel onto a wire rack to drain over night.
Boil up the syrup again and drop peel into it.  Leave to dry on rack.

The next day melt 8 oz of dark organic chocolate 70%, and using a needle dip each piece of orange into the liquid. Leave again overnight to dry and store in an air tight container.

I like to offer mine in fancy christmas bags or tins.

With a plate of freshly baked mince pie's out of the oven things are really starting to smell christmassy around here.