Candied Citrus Food

CANDIED CITRUS

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine sugar and water; bring to a boil. Add citrus slices; reduce heat to medium. Cook until slices are translucent, about 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer until slices are tender but still intact, about 10 minutes, turning occasionally., Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove slices to a wire rack or a parchment-lined baking pan. Let stand at room temperature overnight to dry. (Save syrup for another use.) If desired, cut slices in half; use to decorate a cake, pie or other dessert, or to garnish drinks.

CANDIED CITRUS ZEST

Steps:

• Cut the citrus into wedges and remove the flesh. Use a sharp paring knife to remove as much white pith as possible from the peels. Reserve and use the insides of the fruits for juice or another use.
• Place all the peels in a 2-quart saucepan. Cover the peels with water and bring them to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and drain. Set the peels aside.
• Add the sugar, honey, and 1 1/2 cups (354ml) water to the empty pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook to dissolve all the sugar, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Add the reserved peels to the sugar syrup and reduce the heat to low; gently simmer until the syrup registers 220 degrees F on a candy thermometer or until the peels are bright and translucent looking. Stir the peels frequently. This should take about 1 hour. You do not want to caramelize the sugar at all, so keep the flame low and cook slowly. If the syrup begins to thicken before the peels have cooked through, you may need to add a touch more water to the pan during the cook time to slow down the candying process a bit.
• Cool the peels in the syrup until they reach room temperature. From here you can go in two different directions: you can store the candied peels in an airtight container in the syrup to keep it soft and hydrated. Alternately, you can dredge the peels in granulated sugar and set them on a wire rack overnight to create a dried candied zest confection. The sugared zest can then be stored at room temperature for months and months.

CANDIED CITRUS

Steps:

• Bring sugar and water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until clear, about 5 minutes. Add enough orange slices to fit in 1 layer. Simmer, flipping occasionally, until translucent, 20 to 40 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer slices to a heatproof container. Repeat. Pour syrup over top. Let cool. Citrus in syrup will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 week.

CANDIED CITRUS PEEL

Steps:

• Place peel strips in large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes longer. Drain. Repeat this process two more times.
• In a medium saucepan, heat sugar and 1/4 cup water over high heat until boiling. Place peel in sugar mixture, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, until sugar is dissolved. Remove peel with slotted spoon and dry on wire rack overnight. Store in airtight container.

CANDIED ORANGE

Steps:

• Cut tops and bottoms off of the orange and score the orange into quarters, cutting down only into the peel and not into the fruit. Peel the skin and pith of the orange in large pieces, use the orange for another recipe. Cut the peel into strips about 1/4-inch wide. Put the orange peel in a large saucepan with cold water to cover, bring to a boil over high heat. Then pour off the water. Repeat 1 or 2 more times depending up how assertive you want the orange peels to be. (Test kitchen liked the texture of a 3 time blanch best, it also mellowed the bitterness. But it is a matter of preference.) Remove the orange peels from the pan.
• Whisk the sugar with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 to 9 minutes (If you took the sugar's temperature with a candy thermometer it would be at the soft thread stage, 230 to 234 degrees F.) Add the peels and simmer gently, reducing heat to retain a simmer. Cook until the peels get translucent, about 45 minutes. Resist the urge to stir the peels or you may introduce sugar crystals into the syrup. If necessary, swirl the pan to move the peels around. Drain the peels, (save the syrup for ice tea.) Roll the peels in sugar and dry on a rack, for 4 to 5 hours. Return to the sugar to store.
• Cook's Note: One way to use orange peels is to stuff a dried date with a piece of orange peel and almond, then dip the entire thing into dark chocolate.

CANDIED CITRUS PEEL

Steps:

• Cut fruit into quarters; peel the rind (peel!) off. Cut peel into desired shape; make all the pieces the same so they cook the same.
• Put peel piece into a saucepan, cover with water, bring to boil, drain and repeat.
• Repeat step #2 two more times.
• After the third boil, leave peel in the strainer.
• Put 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 1 1/2 cups of water into the saucepan and 2 tablespoons of corn syrup into the sauce pan. Bring saucepan to a simmer on medium heat, add peel. If you're not using corn syrup, you will need to put the lid on the pan to simmer it for 6 minutes before continuing. Let it cook, uncovered, at a rolling simmer until it is done. For hard-ish candy, cook until the liquid is almost gone, and for chewy candy cook until only 3-5 spoonfuls of liquid is left.
• Put peels into strainer and let cool until you can touch it.
• Put peels into a bowl, add some sugar, and toss them together. Toss every 15 minutes until really cool and the candy is coated with sugar.
• For best results, spread the candy on racks to dry. For harder candy, cook it and dry it for longer, for soft and almost chewy candy, cook and dry it less.
• Store candy in airtight containers. If you store them in the fridge they will seem very hard- but only because they are cold!

CANDIED BUDDHA'S HAND CITRON

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add diced Buddha's hand, return to a simmer, and cook until citrus softens, about 30 minutes. Drain.
• Combine Buddha's hand, 2 1/2 cups sugar, and water in the same pot; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until syrup reaches a temperature of 230 degrees F (110 degrees C). Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Drain citrus; pour excess liquid into jars and reserve.
• Spread drained citrus out onto a wire rack and let dry until tacky, at least 24 hours. Pour remaining sugar into a shallow bowl. Toss citrus in sugar until coated; transfer coated pieces to a plate to dry, at least 2 hours.

CANDIED CITRUS PEEL

Steps:

• Cut the fruit into 8 wedges, then cut out the flesh, leaving about 5mm thickness of peel and pith. Cut each wedge into 3-4 strips.
• Put the peel in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 mins. Drain, return to the pan and re-cover with fresh water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins.
• Set a sieve over a bowl and drain the peel, reserving the cooking water. Add 100g sugar to each 100ml water you have. Pour into a pan and gently heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the peel and simmer for 30 mins until the peel is translucent and soft. Leave to cool in the syrup, then remove with a slotted spoon and arrange in 1 layer on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Put in the oven at the lowest setting for 30 mins to dry.
• Sprinkle a layer of sugar over a sheet of baking parchment. Toss the strips of peel in the sugar, a few at a time, then spread out and leave for 1 hr or so to air-dry.
• Pack the peel into an airtight storage jar or rigid container lined with baking parchment. Will keep for 6-8 weeks in a cool, dry place.
• To make into a delicious gift, melt the chocolate in a small bowl. Dip the candied orange peel into the chocolate to half-coat them, shaking off the excess. Put them on baking parchment to set, then pack into small cellophane bags tied with ribbon or pretty kitchen string.

CANDIED CITRUS PEEL

Steps:

• 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.
• Blanch peel:
• 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.
• Cook peel in syrup:
• 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 220°F 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 226°F 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 228°F on thermometer, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let peel stand in syrup, uncovered, at room temperature 8 to 12 hours.
• Dry and coat peel:
• 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.

CANDIED CITRUS SLICES

Steps:

• Cut a round of parchment paper to fit just inside a medium pot; set aside. Bring sugar and 3 cups water to a simmer in pot, stirring until sugar has dissolved. When liquid is clear and bubbling, reduce heat to medium-low. Add citrus slices, arranging them in a slightly overlapping layer. Cover with the parchment paper round. Place a cake pan on top of parchment to keep slices submerged. Simmer (do not boil) until rinds are almost translucent, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely in syrup. Candied citrus slices can be stored in syrup up to 1 week.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set a wire rack over sheet. Transfer candied citrus to rack. Let stand until dry and slightly firm, about 8 hours.

CANDIED CITRUS PEEL

Steps:

• Cut 2 grapefruits, 8 lemons or tangerines, or 4 medium oranges in half. Juice them; drink the juice or save it for another purpose. Put the juiced halves in a saucepan and cover with cold water by an inch or so. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and simmer until the peel is very tender when tested with the point of a paring knife. Start checking after 10 minutes. Let the peel cool until it can be handled easily. With a spoon, scrape out the pulp and as much of the white part of the rind as possible. Cut the peel into long strips, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide. Put the strips of peel in a heavy saucepan. Add: 4 cups sugar, 2 cups water.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring the mixture often, until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is simmering. (If there is not enough syrup to completely submerge the strips of peel, add additional sugar and water in the same two-to-one proportions.) Maintain the heat so the syrup simmers slowly. Cook until the peel looks translucent and the syrup is thick and bubbling. Turn up the heat and cook the syrup to the thread stage (the syrup will form a thread when it is dropped from the spoon), 230°F measured with a candy thermometer. Remove the pan from the heat and cool for 5 minutes.
• Set a wire rack over a baking sheet and carefully scoop out the strips of peel with a small, flat strainer or slotted spoon. Spread the strips evenly on the cooling rack and let them dry overnight. The next day toss the strips of candied peel with granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl, separating any strips that stick together. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Candied peel will keep for months. Save the syrup to flavor drinks or thin with water and use it to poach dried fruits.