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Candied Orange and Lemon Peels
Instructions
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The candied peels are made from orange peels, the part that is usually thrown away — but it contains a wealth of vitamins and essential oils. Before cooking, wash the fruits thoroughly with added baking soda, scald with boiling water, and dry with paper towels.
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Peel the citrus fruits in a convenient manner, trying to keep the pieces even. Keep the white pith but remove any stringy fibers. At this point, weigh the peels — remember the weight or write it down, since this measurement determines the syrup proportions later. Our peels weigh 350 grams. The fruit pulp can simply be eaten, juiced, or made into jam.
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Transfer the peels to a deep bowl and cover with cold water. Leave the container on the table for a full day. During this time, change the water at least four times. This soaking removes the bitterness from the white pith.
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After a day, transfer the peels to a colander to drain. Then cut the peels into strips about one centimeter wide. Even strips ensure the pieces cook through at the same rate during the syrup stage.
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If you have cookie cutters, you can prepare shaped candied peels — small flowers, hearts, or stars. They later make tasty and beautiful decorations for festive baking, especially Easter and New Year cakes.
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Place the peels in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Leave the bowl for ten to fifteen minutes. Drain the liquid. Boil a kettle of clean water again and pour over the future candied peels. Leave on the table for fifteen minutes more — this double blanching guarantees no bitterness remains.
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Drain the blanched peels in a colander and let the water drain completely. The peels should now feel soft, smell sweet rather than sharp, and be ready to absorb the syrup that follows.
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Now prepare the syrup. Recall the weight of the peels at the very beginning (350 g) and measure out the same amount of sugar and water. Pour the water into a wide-bottomed saucepan and add the sugar. Place the saucepan on the stove at maximum heat to start the dissolution.
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Add the spices and lemon juice to the syrup. Add the citrus peels and bring to a boil. After boiling, reduce the heat to below medium and cook for one and a half to two hours. The slow simmer allows the syrup to penetrate the peels gradually.
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This is what the candied peels look like after an hour — they have become more transparent and soft. The syrup has reduced by about half and starts to take on a deeper amber color.
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Cook for another forty-five minutes to an hour. During this time the syrup will completely evaporate. The peels will absorb the syrup and become amber and soft. While still warm, evenly place them on a rack and let them dry completely at room temperature. This may take twenty to twenty-four hours.
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When the candied peels have dried, they should no longer stick to your hands. At this moment, roll or coat the peels in powdered sugar or coconut flakes for a beautiful finish that also prevents them from sticking together in storage.
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Place the finished candied orange and lemon peels in a container and refrigerate. They are wonderful with tea, can be finely chopped and added with raisins to baked goods, and serve as one hundred percent natural decoration. Shaped candied peels — flowers, hearts, or stars — become unique decorations for Easter cakes and holiday baking.The shaped candied peels look beautiful, for example, on Easter bread with curd and candied peels. Their bright color and unusual shapes turn even simple baking into something special and festive.As you can see, there is no real difficulty in making homemade candied citrus peels. While the citrus season is on, I recommend trying this recipe. For citrus lovers, the result will be an unforgettable treat that lasts for weeks in the fridge.
Tips
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Save your citrus peels in the freezer year-round to make a big batch in winter. Whenever you eat an orange or lemon, peel it carefully and freeze the rinds in a bag. When you have enough, defrost and proceed with the recipe. This trick lets you make candied peels from organic, perfectly fresh citrus without buying fruit just for the peels — and the freezer storage doesn’t affect quality at all.
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Use organic citrus when possible. Conventional citrus is often heavily waxed and treated with fungicides that concentrate in the peel — exactly the part you are eating. Organic peels produce a cleaner, more aromatic candied product. The same quality matters when making complementary citrus preserves like orange jam.
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Do not skip the soaking and double-blanching steps. The bitterness in citrus peel comes from compounds in the white pith that are removed only by repeated water changes. Skip these steps and the candied peel ends up unpleasantly bitter. The 24-hour soak with four water changes plus two blanching cycles is the difference between professional-quality candied peel and a bitter mess.
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Store finished candied peels in airtight glass jars in the fridge for up to three months. Plastic containers absorb the citrus aroma and transfer it to other foods. For longer storage, layer the candied peels in sugar in a sealed jar — they will keep for up to a year. Pair these citrus jewels with warm homemade bread and butter for a simple but elegant tea snack.
FAQ
Why are my candied peels bitter? +
The most common cause is skipping or shortcutting the bitterness-removal steps. The 24-hour cold-water soak with at least four water changes is essential, and the double-blanching with boiling water that follows removes any remaining bitter compounds. If your peels are still bitter after these steps, the citrus may have unusually thick pith — consider trimming some of the white layer before soaking next time.
Can I use just lemon peels or just orange peels? +
Yes, both work beautifully on their own. Lemon peels produce a brighter, sharper candied result with more pronounced citrus zing. Orange peels are sweeter and milder, with a more familiar candy flavor. Many cooks prefer a mix for the best of both worlds. Grapefruit peel also works but is even more bitter and requires a longer soaking time. Adjust the soaking time to match the intensity of the fruit.
What can I do with the leftover citrus syrup? +
Save it — it is liquid gold. The flavored syrup can be used for cocktails, drizzled over pancakes or French toast, stirred into yogurt, brushed on cake layers as a soaking syrup, or thinned with water for a refreshing drink. Store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to a month. The vanilla, cinnamon, and citrus aromas develop further during storage and the syrup becomes richer and more complex over time.
How long does the entire process actually take? +
Active hands-on time is only about an hour total, spread across two days. The bulk of the time is passive: 24 hours of cold-water soaking, then 30 minutes of blanching, then 90-120 minutes of syrup cooking, then 20-24 hours of drying. Plan ahead and start the soaking step the day before you want to be finishing. The patience pays off in candied peels that beat anything you can buy at the store.
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