Cut the top and bottom off of an orange and remove the peel by following the curves of the orange with your knife. Remove as much of the white pith on the pieces of peel as possible. Cut the pieces into very thin long strips.

Put strips in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil on high heat, and cook for about 2 minutes. Drain the water. Repeat this process two more times. This will remove the bitterness of the peels.

In the same empty pan, whisk 1 cup of sugar and ½ cup of warm water together. Bring to a simmer (do not let it come to a boil), and let it cook for about 5 minutes on a constant low simmer, without touching it. Add the peels but do not stir them. Cook for about 25-30 minutes on a very low constant simmer without stirring them, or the mixture will crystallize. Do not let the syrup get too thick, or the peels will get too hard when they cool. When the peels look translucent and glass-like, all the way through, they’re done.

Fish the peels out from the saucepan and spread out on a cooling rack over a tray until cool. Then toss the peels in the ¼ cup of sugar, making sure to coat each piece so they remain separate. Set aside on a plate for another 2 hours to make sure they are fully dry. Store extras in a resealable bag or an airtight container at room temperature.