Write a comment
Candied orange and lemon peels
Candied orange and lemon peels are a very tasty and healthy treat that is easy to prepare. Candied citrus fruits are used in sweet pastries: cakes, rolls, Easter breads Kraffins, and also serve as an excellent natural decoration. Citrus fruits are seasonal, so making candied peels happens mainly in winter, during the New Year holidays, and they can be enjoyed for a long time after.
Time for preparation: 2 days.
Ingredients
Show ingredients
- orange and lemon peels – 350 g. (total weight);
- sugar – 350 g;
- water – 350 g;
- lemon juice – 1 tbsp.
Spices:
- cloves – 2 buds;
- star anise – 2-3 stars;
- cinnamon – 1 stick (can be replaced with ground);
- vanilla – 1 pod (or vanilla powder);
- ginger – to taste;
- powdered sugar – for dusting.
Preparation
- The candied peels are made from orange peels, the part that is usually thrown away, but it contains a lot of vitamins. Before cooking, the fruits should be thoroughly washed with added soda, then scalded with boiling water and dried with paper towels.
- Peel the citrus fruits in a convenient manner, trying to keep the pieces even. Keep the white part, but remove the fibers. At this point, the peels should be weighed, remember the weight, or better write it down, as we will need it later for making the syrup. Our peels weigh 350 grams. The fruit pulp can simply be eaten, juiced, or made into jam.
- Transfer the peels to a deep bowl and cover with cold water. Leave the container on the table for a day. During this time, the water should be changed at least four times. This way, the bitterness is removed from the peels.
- After a day, transfer the orange and lemon peels to a colander to drain. Then cut the peels into strips about one centimeter wide.
- If you have cookie cutters, you can prepare shaped candied peels. Later they will make a tasty and beautiful decoration.
- After cutting, place the peels in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Leave the bowl for ten to fifteen minutes. After the specified time, drain the liquid. Boil a kettle of clean water again and pour it over the future candied peels. Leave the bowl on the table for fifteen minutes.
- After some time, drain the blanched peels in a colander and let the water drain completely.
- Now we need to prepare the syrup. We remember what the weight of the peels was at the very beginning (350 g), and measure out the same amount of sugar and water. Pour the water into a saucepan with a wide bottom, add the sugar. Place the saucepan on the stove at maximum heat.
- Add the spices and lemon juice to the syrup. Add the citrus peels, bring to a boil. After boiling, reduce the heat to below medium and cook for one and a half to two hours.
- This is what the candied peels look like after an hour; they have become more transparent and soft. The syrup has reduced by half.
- Cook for another forty-five minutes to an hour. During this time, the syrup will completely evaporate. The candied peels will soak up the syrup and become amber and soft. While the peels are still warm, evenly place them on a rack and let them dry completely at room temperature. This may take twenty to twenty-four hours.
- When the candied peels have dried, they should no longer stick to your hands. At this moment, roll or coat the candied peels in powdered sugar or coconut flakes.
- Place the finished candied orange and lemon peels in a container and put them in the refrigerator. They are great to enjoy with tea, and can be finely chopped and added along with raisins to baked goods. You will have one hundred percent natural candied peels. If you managed to prepare shaped candied peels, in the form of flowers, hearts, or stars, they will become a unique decoration for baked goods.
Approximately like this the shaped candied peels look, for example, on Easter bread with curd and candied peels.
Now you can see that there is no difficulty in making orange candied peels. While the season is still on, I recommend making homemade candied peels from orange and lemon peels using this recipe. For citrus lovers, this will be an unforgettable treat.
