Glyko Portokalaki: Orange Peel Spoon Sweet

By
Nancy Gaifyllia
Nancy Gaifyllia
A resident of Greece, Nancy Gaifyllia is a cook who writes about the country's regional specialties.
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Updated on 01/25/23
Mandarin oragnes

Vladimir Dostalek / Getty Images
Prep: 90 mins
Cook: 11 mins
Total: 101 mins
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
3203 Calories
2g Fat
826g Carbs
9g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 3203
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 35mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 826g 300%
Dietary Fiber 22g 79%
Total Sugars 784g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 595mg 2,975%
Calcium 452mg 35%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 1689mg 36%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

 

In Greece, you might make this differently—using long pieces of orange peel, coiling them and securing with thread—but this simplified version of Glyko Portokalaki (in Greek: γλυκό πορτοκαλάκι, pronounced: ghlee-KOH por-toh-kah-LAH-kee) is equally delicious, and there's no sewing involved. Believe it or not, spoon sweets are very popular in Greece! Enjoy this by the spoonful as a snack, dessert, or dessert topping.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound oranges

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Ingredients Using 3 Navel Oranges:

  • 3 large naval oranges, about 2 1/2 pounds

  • 2 1/2 cups sugar

  • 1 1/4 cups water

Steps to Make It

Prepare Orange Peel

  1. Remove all the dark orange external layer of peel using a fine vegetable grater.

  2. Trim off the ends of the orange (removing enough to expose the orange pulp) and discard.

  3. Slice the orange in half, then quarters, then eighths—top to bottom. Remove peel in strips.

  4. Cut strips in half, across the width. You can make a bias cut (on a slant) but a straight cut works just as well.

Remove Bitterness

Orange peel, with or without the external part, is bitter. This process removes most of that bitterness without bleaching out the flavor and softens the peel.

  1. Place peel in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, timing from when it starts to bubble.

  2. Drain in a strainer or colander and rinse under running cold water.

  3. Repeat steps 1 and 2, boiling for 3 minutes.

  4. Repeat step 3. Total boiling time: 11 minutes.

  5. Lay pieces of peel on a kitchen towel and allow to dry for several minutes to several hours. If you need to take a break, this is the place to do it. The peel won't dry completely. This is just to remove the excess moisture.

Prepare the Sweet

  1. Place sugar and water in a saucepan and stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil over high-heat and cook for 5 minutes.

  2. Add orange peel, return to a boil, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until syrup begins to thicken slightly (it should be quite syrupy—but thick enough to coat a metal spoon).

  3. Stir in lemon juice and remove the pan from heat.

  4. Allow to cool completely before storing in sterilized jars.

Serving Suggestions

  • In Greece, spoon sweets are served as a spoonful on a small plate, usually accompanied by a glass of cold water. They're not served as desserts, but rather as a sweet snack. In your home, spoon sweets might find a place as a dessert, snack, or a dessert sauce with ice cream, yogurt, cake, and even pastries.

What's Left Over?

  • The grated orange peel from three navel oranges comes to about 1/2 cup, and there are, of course, three delicious oranges! The fabulous Orange Yogurt Phyllo Pastry calls for orange juice and 1/2 cup of grated orange peel.