Greek Desserts
Nerantzi Glyko Recipe (Greek Bitter Orange Spoon Sweet)
Νεραντζάκι γλυκό neh-rahn-DZAH-kee glee-KOH · Nerantzaki glyko
Photo: Candied Orange Peels (14631748550).jpg by Turku Gingerbread from Finland, CC BY 2.0. Placeholder until original photography is shot.
In short
Nerantzi glyko is a Greek spoon sweet made from the peel of the bitter Seville orange, boiled repeatedly to remove its harsh bitterness, then slowly candied in sugar syrup until tender and deeply fragrant. It is one of the most aromatic of all Greek preserved fruits, offered to guests in the same hospitality tradition as kydoni and vissino glyko.
Nerantzi, the bitter Seville orange, is essentially inedible fresh, far too sharp and bitter to eat like a regular orange, but its peel, properly prepared, becomes one of the most fragrant of all Greek spoon sweets, a preserve whose perfume genuinely fills a kitchen during the final stages of cooking.
The whole method exists to solve one problem: removing enough of the peel's natural bitterness that the sugar syrup can do its work, without cooking away the essential oils that give nerantzi its specific, unmistakable aroma in the first place.
This is a genuine multi-day project in the more traditional versions, though a shortened method using repeated boiling rather than days of soaking gets a very good result considerably faster.
Key preparation steps
- Score and remove the peel from bitter oranges.
- Boil the peel repeatedly, changing the water, to remove harsh bitterness.
- Shape or roll the softened peel.
- Simmer slowly in sugar syrup until candied and translucent.
Removing the bitterness
Score the peel from the bitter oranges into quarters and remove it from the fruit, then boil in fresh water for ten minutes, drain, and repeat this process three or four times with completely fresh water each time. This repeated boiling is what draws out the harshest bitterness while leaving the peel's fragrant oils largely intact.
Shaping the peel
Once softened and considerably less bitter, the peel can be left in strips, or, in the more traditional and decorative approach, rolled into small, tight curls and tied with cotton thread to hold their shape through the long simmer, then the thread removed once the sweet is finished and cooled.
The long candying simmer
Simmer the prepared peel gently in a sugar syrup with a little lemon juice for a genuine hour to ninety minutes, until it turns translucent and properly candied, absorbing the syrup fully rather than staying merely coated. This is not a stage to rush, since the peel needs real time to take on both the sweetness and a syrupy, tender texture.
Tips from my kitchen
Do not skip the repeated boiling
This is what removes the peel's harsh bitterness while keeping its fragrant oils intact. Fewer boils leave it too bitter to enjoy.
Use fresh water each time
Reusing the same boiling water carries the bitterness back into the peel rather than washing it away.
Do not rush the final simmer
The peel needs real time to become properly translucent and take on the syrup fully.
Nerantzi Glyko Recipe (Greek Bitter Orange Spoon Sweet)
Νεραντζάκι γλυκό · by Kalliopi Andreou · updated 2026-07-31
- Prep
- 1h
- Cook
- 1h 30m
- Total
- 2h 30m
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
Ingredients
Method
- Score the peel from the oranges into quarters and remove from the fruit.
- Boil the peel in fresh water for 10 minutes, then drain. Repeat 3 to 4 times with completely fresh water each time.
- Once softened, roll each piece of peel into a small tight curl and tie with cotton thread, or leave as strips.
- Put the sugar, water and lemon juice into a wide pot with the prepared peel.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook gently for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours, until the peel is translucent and candied.
- Remove any thread once cooled. Spoon into clean, sterilised jars while still hot and seal immediately.
- Cool completely before storing. Once opened, keep refrigerated.
Nutrition, per 2 tbsp with a curl or two
- Calories
- 112
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 29 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Sat fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
These figures are calculated estimates based on the ingredients listed, not laboratory analysis. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion size.
Frequently asked questions about Nerantzaki glyko
What is nerantzi?
Bitter Seville orange, a variety far too sharp and bitter to eat fresh like a regular orange, but whose peel, properly prepared, makes one of the most fragrant Greek spoon sweets.
Can you use regular orange peel instead?
Not with the same result. Bitter orange peel has a specific, more intense aromatic oil that regular sweet orange peel does not carry to nearly the same degree.
How long does nerantzi glyko keep?
Unopened and properly sealed, many months in a cool, dark place. Once opened, keep refrigerated and use within a few weeks.
