citrus

Save your un-zested citrus peels and candy them in a matter of minutes! Making candied citrus peel is a great way to use every part of the fruit and add delicious sweetness, flavor, and texture to salads, sauces and condiments, yogurt, oatmeal, baked goods, granola. Candied citrus peel can be a perfect companion to a cozy mug of tea, or a fun and delicious treat simply on its own!

Depending on the type of citrus peel, you will need to blanch the peels to remove excess bitterness. This involves boiling them in water for 10 minutes, straining them, then boiling in water once more. Feel free to repeat a third or fourth time, but it may not be necessary.

You can save the simple syrup that the peels cooks in to use for cocktails or you can re-use it to make more batches of candied citrus peel in the future.

ingredients 

• 2-2 ½ cups of citrus peels (I used clementine)
• 2 ½ cups sugar, divided
• 2 cups water
• ¼ teaspoon salt

steps

Cover the citrus peels with cold water and bring to a boil. Strain and return to the pot. Re-fill the pot with water and bring to a boil once again. Strain and allow to cool briefly.

Meanwhile, place 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water in a pot and bring to a boil. Stir continuously to allow the sugar to dissolve. Add the citrus peels and simmer for 35-40 minutes.

While the peels cook, mix the remaining ½ cup of sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt in a bowl.

Remove from the syrup with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack over a baking sheet to allow any excess syrup to drip off. Sprinkle with the sugar and salt mixture and allow to cool completely.