Candied Citrus Peel
Submitted by pwr5mommy
Candied citrus peel made from orange, lemon, and grapefruit rind, double-boiled to remove bitterness, then simmered in honey syrup and tossed in sugar. A homemade confection for baking or gifting.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
60 minREADY
1 hrsHomemade candied citrus peel is one of those old-fashioned confections that tastes nothing like the waxy stuff from the store. Strips of orange, lemon, and grapefruit rind get transformed into jewel-toned, chewy candy with a sweet, floral bite.
The double-boil is the step that makes it all work. Boiling the peel in fresh water twice pulls out the harsh bitterness from the white pith, leaving behind clean citrus flavor. Skip this and you’ll end up with candy that tastes like aspirin.
After blanching, the peel simmers in a honey and sugar syrup for 30 to 40 minutes until nearly all the liquid is absorbed. The honey adds a floral sweetness that plain sugar alone can’t match. A final toss in granulated sugar gives each strip a sparkly coating and keeps them from sticking together.
Pro Tips
- Cut the strips uniform at about ⅜ inch wide. Even widths cook at the same rate and look more polished.
- Stir frequently during the syrup simmer. The sugar concentrates as the liquid cooks off and will scorch in seconds if you walk away.
- Dry the sugar-coated peel on wax paper for several hours until they feel tacky but not wet. Under-dried peel gets moldy in storage.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature. These keep for weeks.
Variations
- Dip one end of each strip in melted dark chocolate for chocolate-dipped candied peel.
- Chop the finished peel and fold into scone or biscotti dough for a citrus punch.
- Use only one citrus variety for a more focused flavor. All-orange peel is the most popular.
Ingredients
Directions
Wash fruit.
Score peel into quarters.
Remove sections of peel with fingers; cut into uniform strips about ⅜ inches wide.
Boil peel with 6 cups cold water, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Drain and rinse.
Repeat process with 6 cups fresh water.
In a large saucepan, combine 1½ cups sugar, honey and boiling water.
Bring to a boil, and boil about one minute.
Add cooked, drained peel and briskly simmer until almost all of the syrup has been absorbed, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Stir frequently to avoid sticking.
Transfer peel to collander.
Drain well, about 10 minutes.
In large bowl, toss drained peel with remianing 1 cup sugar to coat well.
Spread pieces out on waxed paper to dry.
Store in tightly covered container.
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