Candied Citrus Peel: An Easy Step By Step Guide
Candied Citrus Peel – Homemade candied citrus peel is easy to make with leftover citrus peels! Try this delicious and easy-to-make treat with this step-by-step guide.
Candied Citrus Peel – Transform your leftover citrus peels into a delicious and easy-to-make treat with this step-by-step guide for making candied citrus peel. This recipe is perfect for garnishing desserts or as a treat on their own, and is from The Modern Pioneer Pantry by Mary Bryant Shrader.
When it comes to candied citrus, I have fond memories of my mother. She loved candied oranges of any variety, and I can appreciate the appeal (pun intended). Brilliant hues of orange and lemon, with their translucent rind, sparkling in sugar look like edible stained glass! Their gummy texture and sweet flavors are irresistible!
I’m happy to tell you that making homemade candied citrus peel is quite simple! When I welcomed Mary Bryant Shader on the podcast to discuss her newly released cookbook, The Modern Pioneer Pantry (affiliate link), I was happy to see that she included a recipe for Candied Citrus Curls. This recipe is a wonderful reminder that we should make full use of all the parts of oranges, lemons, and limes – save those peels from the compost bin and transform them into this edible delight!
Definitely check out Mary’s book for more ideas. It is a must-have manual for stocking your pantry with confidence.
How to Make Candied Citrus Peel
I love the beautiful curls that Mary creates in her original recipe, and after some testing, I decided to simplify and made some adjustments to address ingredient size and personal timeframe.
Mary’s original recipe calls for creating curls with the citrus peel, however, the citrus available to me are on the smaller side, making the curls rather indistinguishable. If I wanted to create more noticeable curls, I would slice the peels thinner, but the curls would be quite tiny. I have adapted the recipe method to simply be slices, to simplify the process.
This recipe is a fun project, and while it is not hard at all, it does require some time in the kitchen. The good news is that a lot of the time is hands-off cooking time, leaving you plenty of time to tackle other projects while the peels either simmer or dry in the oven.
- Rinse, score, and peel
Rinse the citrus, then slice off the top and bottom of each fruit and score the peel into quarters.
- Slice peels
Remove the peels from the fruit and slice the peels into strips about ½ inch (13mm).
- Boil peels to remove bitterness
Place the strips into a medium saucepan and add water to cover. Bring the water and peel mixture to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Drain and discard water
Drain using a colander or fine-mesh strainer placed in the sink. (Do not save the hot water.)
- Make the syrup
Fill the medium saucepan with 2 cups water and then add 2 cups sugar. Dissolve the sugar over low heat, stirring regularly until no sugar crystals remain.
- Add the citrus peels and cook in syrup
Add the strips to the saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring continuously, then immediately reduce the heat to low, stirring the peels for a few more minutes. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Continue simmering until translucent
Remove the lid and continue simmering on low. Keep an eye on the peels and stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Simmer the peels until they become translucent, which may take another 5 to 15 minutes.
- Strain and reserve syrup for another use
Once the peels appear translucent, remove the saucepan from the heat. Place a colander or fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and drain the peels. (Do not discard the syrup that will drain into the bowl.)
- Preheat oven
Preheat the oven to 175°F (80°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss peels in sugar
Put the remaining 1 cup sugar into a second bowl. Once you can comfortable handle the peels, toss them in the sugar until they are very well coated.
- Form curls (optional) and place on baking sheet
One at a time curl the sugar-coated peel strips into rounds and place them on the lined baking sheet. Make sure they do not touch each other.
- Bake peels to dry them out
Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and cool
Transfer the baking sheet to a heatproof surface. Allow the curls to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
How to Store Candied Citrus Peel
The key to keeping citrus peel is keeping it in a cool and dark pantry – store them in an airtight container separated by layers of parchment paper. The candied citrus will keep for 2 months.
Bonus: Citrus Syrup
The bonus of this recipe is the citrus syrup! Once you drain the candied citrus from the syrup solution, be sure to reserve the syrup! Mary recommends using it to flavor hot or cold beverages, mixed with fresh fruit, or drizzled over ice cream. I am already imagining all the mocktails and cocktails I am going to make with it! It is best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and will stay fresh for at least 3 months.
Listen to the Podcast with Mary Bryant Shrader
For more pantry-friendly recipes, check out my interview with Mary Bryant Shrader in Episode 115 of the Kitchen Confidante Podcast!
Recipes to Use Candied Citrus Peel
Cranberry Trifle – a perfect garnish!
How to Make a Charcuterie Board – a lovely sweet option to balance the savory!
How to Make a Simple Dessert Board – a homemade addition
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of The Modern Pioneer Pantry to review for the Kitchen Confidante Podcast Episode 115 with Mary Bryant Shrader. All opinions are, of course, my own. The post may have affiliate links; see my Disclosure page to learn more.
Candied Citrus Peel
Ingredients
- 2 medium lemons
- 2 medium limes
- 1 medium navel orange
- Water to cover plus an additional 2 cups water
- 3 cups granulated sugar divided
Instructions
- Rinse the citrus, then slice off the top and bottom of each fruit and score the peel into quarters.
- Remove the peels from the fruit and slice the peels into strips about ½ inch (13mm).
- Place the strips into a medium saucepan and add water to cover. Bring the water and peel mixture to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Drain using a colander or fine-mesh strainer placed in the sink. (Do not save the hot water.) This process will remove the bitter flavor present in the peels.
- Fill the medium saucepan with 2 cups water and then add 2 cups sugar. Dissolve the sugar over low heat, stirring regularly until no sugar crystals remain.
- Add the strips to the saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring continuously, then immediately reduce the heat to low, stirring the peels for a few more minutes. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and continue simmering on low. Keep an eye on the peels and stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Simmer the peels until they become translucent, which may take another 5 to 15 minutes.
- Once the peels appear translucent, remove the saucepan from the heat. Place a colander or fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and drain the peels. (Do not discard the syrup that will drain into the bowl.) (See Notes below.)
- Preheat the oven to 175°F (80°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Put the remaining 1 cup sugar into a second bowl. Once you can comfortable handle the peels, toss them in the sugar until they are very well coated.
- If curling (optional), curl the sugar-coated peel strips into rounds and place them on the lined baking sheet. If making simple strips, simply place on the lined baking sheet. Make sure they do not touch each other.
- Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 1 hour.
- Transfer the baking sheet to a heatproof surface. Allow the curls to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
- When the peels have cooled completely, transfer them to an airtight container, but do not pile them on top of each other. Make one layer of peels, place a piece of parchment paper over the first layer, then add the second layer of peels, and continue to place them in the container with parchment paper between each layer.
- Candied citrus curls are best stored in a cool, dark pantry. They will stay at peak freshness for at least 2 months.
Notes
- What should you do with the sugar syrup that drained into the bowl?
This syrup is now a delightfully flavored citrus simple syrup. It can be used to flavor hot or cold beverages, mixed with fresh fruit, or drizzled over ice cream. It is best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and will stay at peak freshness for at least 3 months.
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