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[1] Candied orange peel is so easy to make—and so delicious (all photos: The Nibble).
[2] We made a double batch: one with minced candied orange peel, and one with the peel plus mini chocolate chips. Here’s the basic, buttery shortbread recipe.
[3] Elevate your Old Fashioned: Instead of a regular orange peel garnish, treat your Old Fashioned (and yourself) with candied orange peel. The peel recipe is below; here’s the Old Fashioned recipe.
[4] You can slice the peel as finely as you like (photo: The Nibble).
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May 4th is National Orange Peel Day, a holiday many people wouldn’t even think twice about. But lemon peel—and its fellow peels, grapefruit, lime, and orange—are so much more than a discarded twist on a Negroni.
Below:
> Recipe for candied lemon, lime, grapefruit, or orange peel.
> Different ways to serve candied citrus peel, both sweet and savory.
Elsewhere on The Nibble:
> The year’s 13 orange and mandarin holidays.
> The history of oranges.
> The history of lemons.
> The different types of lemons: a photo glossary.
> The year’s 14 lemon holidays.
> The history of limes and the different types of limes: a photo glossary.
> The year’s 45+ citrus holidays.
> Recipe: Lemon chiffon cake with candied lemon peel.
> Recipe: Grapefruit meringue pie with candied grapefruit peel.
[5] Plain or dipped in chocolate, candied orange peel is a treat that deserves its own holiday (photo: The Nibble).
RECIPE: CANDIED GRAPEFRUIT, LEMON, LIME, OR ORANGE PEEL
Candied citrus peel is delicious plain or dipped in chocolate.
Ingredients
5 lemons, 3 bright-skinned oranges or 2 grapefruits
1 quart simmering water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
Candy thermometer
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
1. PEEL the skin with a vegetable peeler. Cut into julienne strips 1-1/2 inches long and 1/16 inch wide.
2. SIMMER in water for 10 to 12 minutes, or until just tender when bitten. Drain.
3. REFRESH in cold water and dry on paper towels.
4. BOIL the sugar and water in a small saucepan to the thread stage, 230°F on the candy thermometer. Remove from heat.
5. STIR in the peel and the vanilla and let stand in the syrup for at least 30 minutes.
6. DRAIN when ready to use. Under refrigeration the peel will keep in the syrup for several weeks.
To coat in chocolate:
7. MELT a chopped chocolate bar or chocolate chips of choice. Dark chocolate or white chocolate works better than milk chocolate.
8. DIP the individual pieces of peel in the chocolate, and place on wax paper to dry.
[6] You can make candied peel with any citrus fruit.
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WAYS TO USE CANDIED LEMON PEEL OR ANY CITRUS PEEL
Candied citrus peel is a versatile pantry staple that adds a bright, concentrated burst of flavor to both sweet and savory dishes. Here’s a “starter” list
Desserts
Cookie Mix-ins: Stir chopped peels into shortbread, biscotti, or even oatmeal cookie dough for a sophisticated twist on the classic raisin version.
Fruitcake and Panettone: Finely dice the peel to provide the traditional chew and citrus notes required for these holiday breads. We also love it in pound cake. (Don’t confuse your homemade peel with the candied fruit mixes sold for baking: cherries, citron, lemon peel, orange peel, and pineapple. See why in the *footnote below.)
Garnish for Cakes: Use long, elegant strips of peel to decorate the tops of lemon drizzle cakes, grapefruit meringue pies, or cheesecakes (photo #7, below).
Ice Cream Topping: Mince the peel and sprinkle it over vanilla bean or ginger ice cream for a texture contrast.
[7] With a supply of candied peel in the fridge, you’ll always have a sophisticated garnish at hand.
Chocolate and Confections
Chocolate-Dipped Treats: Dip half of a long peel into dark or milk chocolate for a high-end confection that balances bitterness and sweetness (photo #5, above).
Homemade Bark: Roughly chop the peel and press it into melted chocolate along with nuts and/or coarse sea salt to create a custom chocolate bark (photo #8, below).
Truffle Centers: Finely grate or mince the candied peel and fold it into chocolate ganache before rolling your truffles.
[8] Mix minced candied peel into the bark, and decorate the top with twists.
Beverages and Cocktails
Drink Garnish: Use a single strip of candied peel as a garnish for an Old Fashioned, a Negroni, or a hot toddy (photo #3).
Edible Stirrers: Thread several pieces of candied lemon and orange peel onto a cocktail pick for a decorative and edible garnish in sparkling cider or ginger ale, mocktails and cocktails.
Tea Sweetener: Drop a few pieces of candied peel into a cup of hot tea; the sugar coating dissolves to sweeten the drink while the peel infuses it with aromatic, flavorful citrus oils.
Savory Uses
Grain Bowls: Stir a small amount into couscous, quinoa, or rice pilaf, particularly dishes that feature toasted nuts like almonds or pistachios.
Green Salads: Add very finely minced bits of candied peel to a kale or arugula salad to provide a sweet counterpoint to bitter greens and vinaigrettes.
Roasted Poultry: Tuck chopped candied peels under the skin of a chicken or turkey before roasting, or add them to a stuffing for a some sweet-savory flair (photo #9, below).
[9] Baste your chicken with orange juice, then garnish with candied orange peel and fresh orange slices (photo: The Nibble).
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*Store bought candied fruit mix, often labeled as “fruitcake mix” or “glacé fruit,” is nothing like what you can candy yourself—and in fact, the low quality is a reason many people don’t like fruitcake. Instead of sugar, the fruits are candied with corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavor and dyes, and lots of preservatives (benzoate of soda, potasium sorbate, sorbic acid, and sulfer dioxide.
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