Candied Citrus Peel
- 12 lemons or 8 navel oranges or 5 pink grapefruit
- 7 1/2 cups sugar
- 6 cups water
- Food coloring (optional): 3 drops yellow for lemon; 2 drops each of yellow and red for orange; 2 drops yellow and 1 drop red for grapefruit
- Special equipment: a candy thermometer
- Quarter fruit lengthwise and remove peel (including white pith) in 1 piece from each quarter, reserving fruit for another use.
- Cut peel lengthwise into 1/3-inch-wide strips (if using grapefruit, cut peel in half crosswise first).
- Put peel in a large bowl and cover with cold water, then soak 1 hour.
- Drain in a colander.
- Transfer peel to a wide 4- to 6-quart heavy pot.
- Add cold water to cover by 1 inch and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, then drain in colander.
- Repeat blanching process 2 more times.
- Cover peel once more with cold water and simmer until skin side is tender, about 30 minutes, then drain in colander.
- Return pot to stovetop and add 6 cups sugar and 6 cups water.
- Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
- Wash down any sugar crystals clinging to side of pot with a pastry brush dipped in cold water.
- Add food coloring (if using) and boil syrup, uncovered and undisturbed, until it registers 220F on thermometer, about 30 minutes.
- Add peel and simmer over low heat until translucent, about 45 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let peel stand in syrup, uncovered, at room temperature 8 to 12 hours.
- Return syrup with peel to a boil and boil, uncovered and undisturbed, until it registers 226F on thermometer, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let peel stand in syrup, uncovered, at room temperature 8 to 12 hours.
- Return syrup to a boil once more and boil, uncovered and undisturbed, until it registers 228F on thermometer, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let peel stand in syrup, uncovered, at room temperature 8 to 12 hours.
- Reheat syrup with peel over low heat just until syrup has liquefied (peel will have absorbed most of syrup), then drain peel in colander.
- Immediately spread peel, separating pieces, on 2 metal racks set in 2 shallow baking pans and dry, uncovered, until just barely sticky, 8 to 24 hours.
- Spread 1/2 cup of remaining sugar on a plate and roll each piece of peel in sugar to coat well, then transfer to a sheet of wax paper.
- Add more sugar as needed to coat remaining peel.
- (Pour sugar through a medium-mesh sieve occasionally to remove bits of peel and clumps of sugar.)
- Dry sugared peel on wax paper 1 hour.
lemons, sugar, water, coloring, thermometer
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/candied-citrus-peel-107434 (may not work)