Candied Orange and Lemon

Candied Lemon and Orange peel is typically bought for baking. You can make this with grapefruit, lines or any citrus fruit. Why buy it when you can get such a superior product by making your own. It is a simple process and is good in so many things. I am planning on making an Italian Panettone for Christmas. You can use it in your fruitcakes or even eat it as a candy. Dip one end in chocolate to make it extra special. It will store in a sealed container for ages and you know what is in it when you make it yourself. Sugar and water!


You will need:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 oranges peeled
• 2 lemons peeled

I am making a Panettone which I want to add both lemon and orange to but, if you wish to keep the flavours pure then make the batch all lemon or all orange instead of both.

• 2 cups sugar
• optional melt some chocolate to dip ends of candied fruit.2 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar to toss at the end

Step 1: wash the skins of your oranges and lemons with soap and water. Dry. I like to use organic here because you are eating the peel.

Step 2: remove the tops and bottoms of fruit and discard. Score the skins of each fruit in quarters. Peel carefully to remove 4 peels from each fruit. 

Step 3: cut into thin slices.

Step 4: in a small pot add 2 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Add peel and stir. Let come to a boil then turn down heat to medium and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 5: drain and rinse under cold water.

Step 6: add 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water to peel and once again bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Step 7: drain water, rinse and  drain again. Toss peel in remaining 1/2 cup sugar until coated. Place peel on a cookie rack to dry for at least 2 hours. Then you can dip if you like or cover and store for baking.

If you do not want the pith when baking (because it does have a slight bitterness -which I actually like the taste of) then slice the pith off each strip before chopping or using in your recipe. Some candied peel recipes tell you to remove the white pith before candying but, I like leaving it because the end result is a more chewy, pliable peel rather than a crisp, hard version.