Homemade Candied Citrus Peel |
Author: Nancy Baggett
- 2½ to 3 cups 2- to 4-inch long and ¼-inch wide fresh red or pink grapefruit peel strips
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon light corn syrup
- About ½ to ⅔ cups super-fine granulated sugar (or regular granulated sugar finely processed in a food processor)
- Combine the strips in a large, heavy non-reactive saucepan or pot with 1 quart of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Adjust the heat so the strips boil gently; cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Pour out the strips into a colander, then rinse them under warm water. Repeat the same process four more times, boiling them in fresh water each time. Rinse the strips a final time; let stand to drain.
- In a heavy, non-reactive 2-quart saucepan combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, and 1¼ cups water. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup comes to a boil. Add the peels; bring back to a boil, then adjust the heat until the mixture boils gently. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 to 25 minutes, or until the liquid has boiled down to about 1½ tablespoons and the strips are thickly coated with syrup. (Cooking will go faster in a wide-bottomed pan, due to faster evaporation.) Watch carefully at the end to avoid scorching. Remove from the heat. Let stand until cooled to barely warm.
- Lay the strips, separated, on a wire rack set over paper (to catch drips). Let stand at least 12 hours, or until just slightly sticky to the touch. Roll them on all sides in super-fine granulated sugar. If the peels inadvertently dried too much and the sugar doesn’t stick, wet your hands lightly and rub a little moisture on the strips (or use a pastry brush very lightly dipped in water), then continue. Let the sugared strips stand a few minutes, then pack them airtight along with a little leftover super-fine sugar. They will keep, airtight and at room temperature, for up to 2 weeks or frozen, airtight, for up to 6 months.
Recipe by KitchenLane at http://kitchenlane.com/2010/01/homemade-candied-citrus-peel.html
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