Bitter Orange

What Is Bitter Orange?

Bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) is a citrus fruit that resembles an orange but has a very sour and bitter taste; it's also known as "sour orange". It's recognized by its thick, porous, and aromatic peel.

Since it's sour-bitter, it's not eaten raw like an orange; its real value lies in its peel and aroma. In Turkish cuisine it's best known for the bitter orange jam and marmalade made from its peel, and for its souring juice and flower water (orange blossom water).

Nutritional Values of Bitter Orange

Since bitter orange is generally not eaten directly and only its peel and juice are used in small amounts, its nutritional contribution is limited. As a citrus fruit it contains vitamin C and aromatic compounds; sugar content rises when it's made into jam.

What Are the Benefits of Bitter Orange?

Bitter orange is a citrus fruit containing vitamin C and aromatic oils; its peel and blossom are traditionally valued for their pleasant scent. Since sugar content is high when consumed as jam, moderate consumption is recommended.

This information is general; bitter orange is a food, not a substitute for medical treatment.

How to Choose Bitter Orange?

A jam-making bitter orange is a fruit with a thick, glossy, intact peel and an intense fragrance. Fruits that are large and full for their weight, with unblemished surfaces, are preferred.

• Peel should be thick, glossy, and intensely fragrant
• Fruit should be large, full, and intact
• Surface should be unblemished, not softened

How to Store Bitter Orange?

Whole bitter orange keeps for a few weeks in the refrigerator; its peel can also be grated and dried or mixed with sugar for storage. Bitter orange jam keeps for a long time in a sealed jar.

Using Bitter Orange in the Kitchen

Bitter orange is most often used in jam and marmalade made from its peel; it's also used with its souring juice and grated peel to add aroma to desserts and baked goods. Its peel is also candied into a confection.

How Is Bitter Orange Jam Made?

Bitter orange peels are rolled and strung on thread, soaked in water for a few days and boiled until their bitterness is removed; then they're cooked in a sugar syrup to make a thick, fragrant jam.

How Is Bitter Orange's Bitterness Removed?

The peels are soaked in cold water for a few days, with the water changed regularly; this process removes most of the bitter compounds in the peel.

Which Recipes Use Bitter Orange?

Bitter orange jam, bitter orange marmalade, candied bitter orange peel, and bitter orange juice as a souring agent are its best-known uses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn't bitter orange eaten raw?

Its interior is very sour and its peel is bitter; that's why it's not eaten directly like an orange, but is processed (jam, marmalade) or used for aroma.

Are bitter orange and orange the same?

They're related but not the same; orange is sweet and eaten raw, bitter orange is bitter-sour and used processed. Bitter orange is one of the ancestors of many citrus fruits.

Is orange blossom water made from bitter orange?

Yes; traditional orange blossom water is mostly obtained by distilling the flowers of bitter orange, and is used to add scent to desserts.

How is bitter orange peel candy made?

Peels with the bitterness removed are cooked in a sugar syrup and then dried; the surface is coated with powdered sugar to make a crunchy confection.

When is bitter orange found?

Bitter orange is a winter fruit; it ripens in the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts during winter months and is found for jam-making in this period.