Recipe By : Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Hints, Tips & Misc
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 Oranges -OR-
6 Lemons or limes -OR-
2 Grapefruits
2 c Granulated sugar -- divided,
- plus extra for layering stored
- peel
1/2 c Water
2 tb Light corn syrup -OR-
1/4 ts Cream of tartar
Wash the fruit well to remove any possible chemical residue. With a
sharp paring knife, quarter the oranges or grapefruit, then remove
the quarter-segments of peel. For lemons and limes, slice off wide
strips of peel, with the pith, cutting right down to the fruit.
Ideally, the peel should be about 1/8" thick, though thicker is all
right. You should have about 2 cups of loosely packed peel.
Put the peel into a medium heavy-bottomed nonreactive saucepan, add
cold water to cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and boil
gently for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the peel stand in
the hot water for 15 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse well
under very cold water; the peel will feel soft. Grapefruit peel is
more bitter than the other types and is best blanched in 3 changes of
cold water, and each time it is brought to a boil, simmered
10 minutes.
With a teaspoon, carefully scrape off and discard the soft white pith
inside each segment of peel. Slice the peel into strips about 1/4"
wide.
Prepare The Syrup:
In the same saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, and the
corn syrup or cream of tartar. Stir, then bring to a boil, swirling
the pan several times to help dissolve the sugar. Wash down the sides
of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil the syrup
until it looks clear, then add the prepared peel, immersing it in the
syrup. Clip a candy thermometer, if using, to the pan. Boil the peel
gently over moderate heat for about 30 minutes, or until the syrup
reaches 230°F (a little of the syrup dropped into ice water should
form a thread; just before the soft-ball stage) and most of the syrup
has been absorbed. Remove from the heat.
Put the remaining 1 cup sugar in a bowl or spread it in a pan. With a
slotted spoon, transfer the peel to the bowl or pan, and toss well to
coat. Transfer the peel to a wax paper-covered baking sheet, or a
wire rack set over a sheet of wax paper, to air-dry.
After several hours, or overnight, the peel should be crisp outside
but flexible and chewy inside. If too flabby and soft, it was not
cooked long enough in the syrup to a high enough temperature; if it
is crisp enough to crack when bent, it was cooked at too high a
temperature but will still taste good. Store the peel between layers
of sugar in an airtight container.
Candied peel will last at least 1 year if packed in layers of
granulated sugar in an airtight container and kept in a cool dry
place or refrigerated.
Yield: 2 Cups
Per 2 tb: 90 Cal, 0.1 g Protein (trace), 0.1 g Fat (trace),
0 g Sat fat, 23 g carbs, 0 mg Cholesterol
