Candied Orange Peel

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

Recipe Courtesy: Mary Berry

A slice of home baked fruitcake has always been my favorite and what else can bring such beautiful flavor in it than Candied Peels. Store bought candied peels have loads of sugar on them and more often than not, we end up eating the entire box! Ever wonder how we gain so much extra weight during holidays? Readymade Candied Peels also have preservatives. So, I decided to make my own homemade Candied Orange Peel. It’s just enough for the fruitcake and absolutely delicious. It takes some time to cook but you can easily do some other housework while this is cooking. It is really easy to make soft and delicious candied peels and with this recipe, you will never go back to the readymade ones. You can also use the same recipe to make candied Lemon peels.

I love adding natural citrusy scents in my cakes and what else is better than an orange? By making the candied peels at home you will ensure to have organic, fresh and delicious treats with no chemicals at all. I think a good recipe makes all the difference. I have tried making candied peels at home before and something must have gone wrong because they turned up rock hard. This recipe yields beautiful candied peels and why not? It’s after all Mary’s recipe. 

You can use the Candied Peels:

• To garnish Pies, cakes or cupcakes and even cocktails.
• As an ingredient in cookies, muffins and cakes.
• As a topping over ice creams.
• To make Orangettes (a beautiful dessert prepared by dipping the candied orange peels in chocolate).

Always make sure to use best quality ingredients for cooking. In India we often see waxed fruits in the market. Of course such fruits cannot be used for making candied peels. So, I would recommend buying organic fruits especially for this step. Also wash them thoroughly before using them. Remember good stuff bring the best flavors.

Ingredients:

• Orange or Lemon – 1, un-waxed  
• Granulated Sugar - 14 tablespoons 
• Icing Sugar - 7 tablespoons  

Directions:

• Cut the Orange into 8 wedges.

• Cut out the flesh, leaving a 5 millimeter thickness of peel and pith. 
• Cut each wedge into 4 strips.

• Pour 20 tablespoons of water into a small pan
• Add the Granulated Sugar and heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. 
• Add the Orange peel and reduce the heat to low. Cook uncovered for 30-45 minutes, until the orange peel is soft and translucent. 

• Drain in a strainer and leave to cool. 
• Spread the peel out on a baking sheet lined with parchment and sprinkle with icing sugar. 

• Place in the oven on the lowest setting (170 F) for 1 hour until dry.

Tips: 

• You can follow the same steps to make Candied Lemon Peel.
• If you don't want to feed the cake with Rum or Brandy, save this simple syrup. You can use it later to brush on the cake to bring a sweet glazed look.

Use these beautiful and delicious homemade Candied Orange Peels to make your fruitcake even more scrumptious!

Recommended Reading:

• Boozy Christmas Fruitcake