Cooking Classes

11.11.09

Making Your Own Candied Citrus Peel



It is very easy to make your own candied peel.  Orange, lemon and grapefruit work the best.  Limes tend to turn a dark colour and are unattractive when candied.

This is my recipe after trying several different recipes and adapting them to what I think makes a good candied peel.

The corn syrup in this recipe prevents the large sugar crystals from forming while the completed peel cools.  I squeeze the juice first so nothing is wasted.  Then I cut the orange halves into quarters and then remove the flesh and pithy part.  Then cut into strips.

These are finished by tossing in fine granulated sugar.  Use this peel in recipes that call for chopped candied citrus peel.  Or if you want to dress them and serve as a candy, dip in tempered dark chocolate.

Candied Citrus Peel

peel of 3 oranges, 2 grapefruit or 6 lemons
1 c granulated white sugar
3 T corn syrup
3/4 c water


1.     Remove the inner flesh and white pithy part from the peel.  The white part tends to make the peel bitter.  Cut the cleaned peel into strips.



2.     Blanch the peel in salted boiling water for 15-20 minutes. Empty and blanch again in fresh water for 15 minutes.  Blanching serves two purposes.  Firstly, it tenderizes and takes away bitterness.  And secondly, it changes the cellular structure so that the sugar will be accepted into the peel.

3.     Bring the sugar, corn syrup and water to a boil.  Add the blanched peel.  Simmer until the peel is translucent.  This will take about 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit overnight in the sugar syrup.

4.     The next day, reheat the sugar syrup before removing the peel.  Drain the peel on a rack and let sit for a day to dry.
5.     Toss the peel in granulated sugar.  It is now ready to use or it can be dipped in tempered chocolate.

12 comments:

  1. What tool did you use to peel the fruit? A paring knife or something else?

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  2. I didn't think to have a picture of that. I squeeze the juice first, so as not to waste anything. Then I cut the orange halves into quarters. They I just use a very sharp knife with a larger blade to scrape out the pith. The skin is actually quite strong. And I just keep cutting away until the white part is removed. Then I cut the peel into strips. I'll post a pic today.

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  3. I have been making these for years and yet I never thought to blanch in salt water first. I have always done 2 blanches in just plain water. Please tell me why you do this because I am wondering if I should change how I am doing it? Also not sure if you have ever done this but after I am done I bring the syrup back up to a boil add a bit more sugar and make some yummy burnt orange lolipops. They come out quite yummy! I like your pics on each procedure. I'm going to try your recipe thanks.

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  4. Lollipops! What a good idea. The syrup smells so good and I hate to waste it.

    I have just taken a candy making class with Jean-Pierre Wybauw. His book, Fine Chocolates - Great Experience, has a detailed recipe for candied fruits. My main interest was in making candied fruits. His recipe for candied fruits does one blanch in salted water. I think it is about changing the cellular structure so that the fruit will accept more sugar (osmosis). I find that orange peel can be bitter so I like to do the second boil to help remove the bitterness.

    I am making candied orange and lemon slices right now and will post when I am done. They take about 16 days! My lemon slices are on Day 8 and I just started oranges today, so Day 1. Mark your calendar and check back on my blog in about a week for the lemons.

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  5. Your pretty pictures made me pick your site and my peels turned out beautiful!
    I didn't wait a day for them to dry before rolling them in sugar and dipping in chocolate and I still got a nice texture. Not too chewy or limp.
    Thanks!

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  6. Thanks for sharing...Bookmarking this, hate to throw the peel whenever I make fresh orange juice......

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  7. Hi Sarah, it's been one year since I bookmarked this recipe & today I'm going to make it...have plenty of organic oranges so really don't have a heart to throw the peel...

    Have one question for U...what's the best way to store these & how long will they last on shelf/fridge. Thanks, waiting for your reply.

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  8. one more question, after they dry for 1 day will the sugar stick to it next day?? thanks.

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  9. Hi Sarah, I made these last week.....they are really addictive, thou my didn't look as pretty as yours but taste was wonderful, only problem was large sugar crystals....yes! I got those...but I'm gonna make another batch they were that addictive. Thanks for the recipe.

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  10. Can I skip the corn syrup? or maybe sub in an equal amount of honey? I want to make them as a special little treat for the Christmas stockings!

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  11. I don't do corn syrup ... do you think I could sub for an equal amount of honey? I think I should make some of these as a special little treat for the Christmas stockings!

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  12. Thank you for sharing needful information to us. I am waiting for your next post.

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