Candied Citrus Peels
I feel like candied citrus peels are the kind of thing that people either really like or absolutely hate. I personally love them. So much so that when I eat something with them in it, like panettone or hot cross buns, I’ll pick out the candied citrus pieces to eat them first. Yes, it’s weird.
They’re really easy to make and a great way to use up something that’s usually discarded. They’re also cheap to make and only require 3-4 ingredients! Whether you have orange peels, lemon peels or grapefruit peels, you can candy them.
It’s a very simple process and pretty much the same no matter what kind of citrus peels you use. The only difference will be the amount of time you let them simmer in the sugar syrup. For example, since lemon peels are more bitter, you would let them simmer for a longer time than orange peels. It’s also a matter of personal taste.
How to make candied citrus peels
First of all, you’ll want to remove the peel from the fruit. This can be done in different ways depending on what you want to do with them. You can either peel long strips using a vegetable peeler or remove the whole peel while keeping it intact. That way you can cut it into matchsticks or evenly dice it.
Start by washing the fruit thoroughly. Then, to keep the peel intact, top and tail the fruit then slice in half. You can then carefully peel the whole half off very easily with your hands and cut it however you like. For bigger citrus like grapefruit, you can cut it into quarters for easier peeling.
Then, to remove any residue off the skin and get rid of the initial bitterness of the peels, boil them 3 times. Put all the peels in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a full boil for about 2 minutes. Then strain and repeat 2 more times, always starting with cold water.
And finally, to candy them, let them simmer in a simple syrup (you can find more info on simple syrups here). You can add a pinch of salt to the syrup to slightly offset some of the bitterness. The longer they simmer, the sweeter and softer they get.
Around 30 minutes for a small batch is a good starting point. If you’re making a bigger batch, have cut larger pieces or are using a more bitter citrus peel like lemon or blood orange, you can go longer.
They’ll get more translucent as they simmer in the syrup. Small cubes and thin peels made with a vegetable peeler will candy faster than matchsticks or other larger pieces.
What to do with candied citrus peels
Thin candied citrus peels are great for decorating cocktails and cakes. They can also be thinly sliced to top smaller desserts. Matchsticks are good to roll in white sugar (or vanilla sugar) or dip in chocolate to eat plain. And the small cubes are perfect to incorporate into doughs and batters.
How to store Them
In the syrup: if you’re keeping them for future use (like the thin ones for decoration or the diced for doughs and batters) they can be kept in the syrup in a sealed container and stored in the fridge for up to 1 month.
To use in doughs and batters, let them dry out on a tray at room temperature for up to a day so they don’t add too much moisture when incorporated.
Rolled in sugar: Once the peels have candied, you can strain them (keep the syrup, it’s great for cocktails and cakes!), and roll them in white granulated sugar. Then let them dry on a tray or wire rack at room temperature for about a day as well before storing in a closed container in your pantry for about 1-2 weeks.
Dipped in chocolate or plain: In both cases it’s good to let them dry slightly on a tray or wire rack so there’s not too much moisture once they’re stored in a closed container. They can both be stored in the fridge for up to 1 month or at room temperature for 1-2 weeks. The plain ones can also be stored in the syrup in the fridge like the diced peels.
To freeze: Once they’re done and you’ve strained them well, they can be stored in a bag and frozen for around 2 months, if not longer. You can also freeze the ones dipped in chocolate.
If you make this recipe please let me know in the comments! All feedback is very much appreciated and I would love to hear from you! You can also tag me on instagram @the.quaint.kitchen or use the hashtag #thequaintkitchen to share your creations!
Candied Citrus Peels
Ingredients
- 70 g citrus peels, (lemon, orange, grapefruit…)
- 160 g water
- 160 g white granulated sugar, make sure it’s vegan
- pinch of salt, optional
Instructions
- Wash the citrus thoroughly before peeling, then cut the peels into your desired shape (matchsticks, diced, or peel the fruit with a vegetable peeler to get thin strips) and place in a saucepan and cover with water.
- Bring to a full boil for about 2 minutes then drain. Repeat 2 more times, always starting with cold water.
- The last time you drain the peels, leave them in the sieve and set aside while you make the syrup in the saucepan.
- Combine the water, sugar and salt in the saucepan and heat on medium, whisking occasionally, until the sugar has fully dissolved.
- Add in the peels and let simmer, uncovererd, on low for around 30 minutes. They’ll become more and more translucent and soft. If you’re using a more bitter peel like lemon, you can let them simmer longer. It’s also a matter of preference, so taste as you go.
- Once they’ve candied, you can transfer them with the syrup into a container, let them cool, then close and store in the fridge. Or you can strain them well (keep the syrup, it’s great for cocktails and cakes!)and roll in sugar or dip in chocolate and let them dry sligthly on a tray or wire rack at room temperature for up to a day before storing in a closed container.
Notes
- I strongly suggest making recipes by weight, if you make them by cups I can’t guarantee that you’ll get the same results.
- The candied peels in a closed container can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 month or at room temperature for 1-2 weeks. They can also be frozen in a bag once strained for at least 2 months.