Tiffin with Candied Orange (Dear Joe, we fell about laughing)

a gorgeous bite, salt and a candied pep

Dear Joe

The first time I tried to make candied orange peel, was with Mum, at Emma’s flat in Glasgow. I was working as a baker: it was a winter of many mince pies (I could crimp one in 11 seconds. We timed it. I am still proud). It was also a winter when I would eat tablespoons of double cream after a shift because my days really were that long and I really was that hungry. Mum was visiting, and we decided to make candied peel. We consulted no recipes, no books, and hopefully tipped a load of sugar and orange peel into a saucepan. We turned the heat right up and let it cook. 20 minutes later, there was a saucepan of a black glass-like substance that smelt like burnt rubber and dashed hopes. We binned the peel and the saucepan (it couldn’t be saved) and fell about laughing.

I’ve been baking a lot in the last 2 weeks, including a lush Madeira cake, an orange torte, and a green marzipan cake (!). But the thing that’s stuck in my mind is this tiffin. It is so good: a gorgeous bite that makes you want to clench your jaw, salt, crunch, bitter, and then these sugary peps of candied citrus peel. It might seem like a faff to candy your own peel, but it pays off in big flavour and doesn’t require as much time as you’d think. Plus, it’s great in porridge. Win-win.

To candy the orange peel, I follow Anna Higham’s sugar/water ratios and method. Peel 3 medium unwaxed oranges or blood oranges. Put the peel into a pan of cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and drain. Put the peel back into the pan with fresh cold water. Now boil the peel for 10 minutes, then drain again. The peel will now have lost some bitterness. Put the peel back into the saucepan, for the last time now, with 250ml water and 250g caster sugar. Bring to a simmer, stir the mixture to make sure the sugar is dissolved then place a circle of greaseproof with a small slit cut in the middle over the liquid. Let the peel simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the liquid reduces and thickens to a sugary elixir and the peel is tender. Keep the peel along with its syrup in sterilised jars, in the fridge, for up to a month. You can also crystalise the peel, by letting it dry out overnight on wire racks, and coating in sugar the next day, then storing it in a Tupperware.

And now for the tiffin. Line a loaf tin with a layer of foil then a layer of greaseproof. Melt 100g good chocolate (70% dark is my choice here) with 35g butter and 20g golden syrup. It’s best to do this with a bain marie. Meanwhile, crush 100g digestive biscuits (or similar plain sweet biscuits) in a large bowl, add a large pinch of sea salt then thoroughly stir in all but about 1 tbs of the melted chocolate mixture. Tip the mixture into your prepared tin. Use the back of a spoon to squash and smooth the tiffin down; the more compact the better. You don’t have to spread the mixture over the whole base - you can get the thickness you like by squashing the tiffin into one end of the loaf tin. Spread the tiffin with the reserved melted chocolate then top with chopped glacé cherries and candied orange peel (I use about 30g combined). Put the tiffin in the fridge to firm up, then slice away my friend.

Love Caitlin x