Mixed Citrus Candied Peel
Candied peel is a delightful, tangy-sweet treat that’s perfect for the festive season. You can enjoy it as a snack or use it to enhance desserts and baked goods with a seasonal twist.
Ingredients
- 2 medium navel oranges
- 4 medium lemons
- 4 medium limes
- 2 cups cane sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup cane sugar for tossing
Instructions
- Gather your fruit, clean it, remove the wax coating if it has one and dry it. Cut off the ends., quarter the rind/peel and remove it in 4 pieces. Repeat this for each piece of fruit.
- Take your quartered peel pieces and remove as much of the pith (white part on the inside of the peel) as possible. The more pith left behind, the more bitter the peel will be.
- Once the pith has been removed, cut the peel into ⅛ to ¼ inch strips.
- Place the strips in a medium pot and add enough water to cover them. Bring the pot to a boil and maintain that boil for 10 minutes. Once done, strain the peel and repeat with fresh water if the peel is still too bitter. Taste a piece to test it. ***I removed as much of the pith as I could (little time consuming) so I only had to boil the peel once. I taste tested and was happy with the result.
- Drain the strips of peel and clean the pot. Add 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring the water to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the peel to the pot, stir to combine and bring to a simmer again. Once it reaches a light simmer, leave for the sugar water to reduce to a syrup. This should take 20 to 30 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally during this process. The peel should soften and start becoming translucent.
- Once a syrup is achieved and the peel reaches a desired consistency, remove the peel from the pot with a slotted utensil (to drain the syrup) and place the peel on a drying rack. Let the peel dry until it is slightly tacky - about 1 hour.***Save the wonderfully citrusy syrup left behind, it is a lovely addition to drinks, cocktails or drizzled over bakes.
- Toss the peel in sugar and lay it out on a parchment lined cookie sheet (you will need more than one cookie sheet) to fully dry. This takes about 4 to 6 hours.
- Once the candied peel is completely dry, store it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. It should stay fresh for a couple of months.