Oranges. What’s not to love about oranges? They are sweet and juicy, don’t need refrigeration, are super portable, and are easy to share. Plus, I love their color and texture. So baked oranges should be great, too. Right? There’s only one way to find out.
This recipe is from the Culinary Arts Institute’s 1941 cookbook 250 Delectable Desserts. This is the picture from that cookbook. The caption reads, “Serve baked oranges with the roast, for breakfast, or as a simple dessert.”
Baked Oranges
- 8 large oranges
- 1/2 c sugar
- 8 tsp butter
Wash oranges and grate the skins slightly. Cover with water and boil for 30 minutes. Drain and cool. Cut off a small slice at the blossom end and remove core. Place 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp butter in the center of each orange. Place in a buttered baking dish filled 3/4 full of water. Cover and bake in a moderate oven, 350°F, for 2 hours. Serves 8.
Results
The baked oranges were very bitter and it took us a while to figure out how best to eat them. We were scooping them out of the orange peel cup at first, but we found that peeling the softened skin away made it easier to get to the orange inside. The oranges tasted very much like the peel and, despite the sugar, weren’t very sweet. The inside wasn’t dry, but there wasn’t much juice either. I would stick to fresh oranges unless you are a big fan of the orange peel flavor. They sure were pretty, though!
History in the Kitchen 