Candied Citrus Peel in 5 Easy Steps is a delicious way to augment just about any recipe – and especially good in bakes and beverages.
The preservation of foods using sugar or honey is an ancient practice that was widely utilized in ancient Chinese and Arab cultures. Today, candied citrus (specifically candied orange peel) remains a key ingredient in European and North American bakes. In fact, the delicious confection is so beloved that it has earned its own day on May 4th – known to the foodie community as National Candied Orange Peel Day.
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Candied citrus peel deserves a second chance
I can’t count the number of times I’ve started a recipe only to realize halfway through that I needed the candied peel of an orange or zest of a lemon or grapefruit. We’ve all done it. During the holidays when I make a Pannetone or fruitcake, I simply can’t use the candied citrus you find next to the bulk nuts in the grocery store. I’m sorry, I just can’t bring myself to do it. When I think about the damage those unbalanced, overly bitter, overly sweet and artificially colored products have perpetrated against the reputation of candied citrus, it breaks my heart.
Once you’ve had the real thing, you can’t go back. And once you know how easy it is to make your own candied citrus peel really is, you won’t want to. This recipe for Candied Citrus Peel in 5 Easy Steps will have you looking at your citrus in a whole new light.
Tips for success when making your own candied citrus peel
When removing the rind from the fruit, scrape off as much of the white pith as you possibly can. The white pith imparts bitterness. You only want the colorful rind. A sharp pairing knife or vegetable peeler works best for this task.
Another tip for success is to boil, drain and rinse the rind before completing the final cooking cycle. This removes any added bitterness from the rind and softens the peel. This is an especially crucial step when preparing candied grapefruit peel. Grapefruit peel is extremely bitter. If you are making candied grapefruit peel, repeat this step three more times – bringing the peel and the water the boil for one minute before draining, rinsing and repeating again. Please see the notes section below for additional information on candied grapefruit peel.
Candied Citrus Peel in 5 Easy Steps – a versatile ingredient to have on hand
I don’t always have the time or the ingredients on hand to whip up a batch of candied citrus peel. This is where a little forward-thinking and frugality come into play. If you’re interested in reading more about my philosophy on food, reducing waste and saving time, then please visit the section of my blog titled, “The Tea”. For example, if I’m peeling an orange to eat, I will prep the rind according to the recipe below. I’ll then wrap it in plastic and store it in an airtight container in the freezer. I’ll do this over the course of a couple days or weeks even until I have enough citrus to make candied peel. Once I have the candied peel readily available, I can pull it out when I want to whip up a batch of Easy Nordic Rye Rolls or use the simple syrup to sweeten a cocktail.
Candied Citrus Peel in 5 Easy Steps
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy1
cup15
minutes25
minutes1
hour15
minutesCandied peel can be used in baking, beverages or eaten as candies.
Ingredients
Peel of three oranges, lemons, limes or grapefruits, washed and trimmed of any of the bitter, white pith.
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
Extra water for boiling and rinsing as outlined in Step 2.
Directions
- With a vegetable peeler or sharp paring knife, prepare the citrus peel by removing the rind from the fruit. Scrape off as much of the white pith as you possibly can. The white pith imparts bitterness. You only want the rind.
- Add the prepared rind to a pot of water and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and rinse. NOTE: If you are making candied grapefruit peel, repeat this step three more times – bringing the peel and the water the boil for one minute before draining, rinsing and repeating again. Please see the notes section below for additional information on candied grapefruit peel.
- Return the rind to the pot and add one cup of sugar and one cup of water. Bring to a boil for 15 minutes more. Stir occasionally to ensure the rind in evenly distributed in the sugar syrup as it cooks.
- Turn off the heat and allow to cool in the pot until it comes to room temperature.
- Store candied rind in the flavored simple syrup in a mason jar. The rind will keep in the syrup for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or for 2 months in the freezer.
Notes
- A note on making candied grapefruit peel: Grapefruit is more bitter than other citrus and will require additional boiling and rinsing steps. Repeat step 2 three more times (for a total of 4 times). You’ll still have a flavorful candied peel, but by repeating this step, you will remove any additional bitterness from the oils in the rind.
