As part of my regular blogging, I've decided to include a weekly tutorial on some crafty home activity or other. Tuesday Tutorials. Except as Tuesday was this week dedicated to my giveaway, this week it falls on a Thursday.
And without further ado, this weeks Tuesday Tute - Candied Peel.
Candied peel is a tasty, bright, cheerful and versatile treat to make. It can be chopped into fruitcakes, muffins and chocolates, dipped in melted chocolate, stored in honey to add to icecream or other desserts, and makes a great gift.
You can actually make candied peel with lemons, limes and oranges. I haven't yet tried it with grapefruit, but I see no reason that wouldn't work. The peel retains the bright colour of the fruit through the process and can brighten any sweet dish.
So! Let us get started.
First of course, we need peel. If you're like me, you don't eat oranges often enough to have a decent supply of fresh peel on hand. So, make some juice. Add vodka. Share it with your Nan.
Tada! Great piles of peel. After juicing the fruit, the peel will be quite messy with fruit pulp on the inside. First, take each citrus halfshell of peel and cut into three or four segments. Taking a sharp knife, remove the fruit pulp. Do not remove the layer of bitter pith - we want that for the candy.
If you wish, you can slice the segments into fine slivers, or keep them the size they are. It all depends on your intended use for the peel.
If you plan to chop it up for baking or use it to top sweet treats, slivers are probably better as they can quickly be chopped down to the same size as shop-bought peel. They also dry faster. Thicker segments are better for dipping in chocolate and, I find, store better in honey as they are less likely to leave air bubbles.
In a large pan, larger than the one I used because I was a fool, combine water and granulated sugar in equal quantities and heat until the sugar dissolves. Toss the peel in a handful at a time and cook on a rolling boil for about eight minutes, or until the peel turns translucent.
When this happens, change out the liquid for another 50/50 sugar water solution and continue to cook on a rolling boil until the sugar syrup reduces.
A word of caution. The syrup will bubble up and this can make it difficult to see how far it has reduced. Deal with this by periodically taking off the heat and checking when the froth settles.
When doing this, take care not to spill the solution on yourself. It is HOT.
REALLY HOT. Here I am demonstrating the benefits of having an aloe vera plant in the house. This is another reason to use a decent sized cooking pot in the first place.
Next, lay out a sheet of greaseproof paper or foil and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar. Add more than you think you need.
Remove the peel from the sugar solution with a slotted spoon and allow to drip dry on a cooling rack over something disposable, like a sheet of clean greaseproof paper, or something easy to clean. Once the peel is tacky and no longer drips, toss in the sugar on the side and ensure all edges are generously coated.
The easiest way to dry the peel at this stage is to thread it onto a length of cotton or clean fishing wire with a sewing needle, then hang it where all sides can get air, in a warm, dry location.
Once dried completely, which can tae 48 hours, the peel can be chopped and added to handmade candies, dipped in chocolate or left plain, and bagged up as gifts for loved ones.
Alternately, the peel can be immediatelt crammed into a jar and covered with runny honey. If storing in this manner, be sure to bang the jar base firmly - but not violently - against a table top to force any air bubbles out.
The peel itself will stay relatively soft, ideal for dropping spoonfuls of the mix onto icecream or desserts, and the honey will take on a lovely citrus flavour, adding an extra hint of luxury when spread on toast or crumpets
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