Candied Grapefruit Bowls Food

CANDIED GRAPEFRUIT PEELS

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, cut each grapefruit into quarters. Remove the fruit from the peel, leaving the white membrane or pith attached to the peel. Save the fruit for another use. Slice each quarter peel on a diagonal into strips about 1/2-inch wide. If you cut them evenly, they will look nicer when displayed.
• Place the sliced grapefruit peels in a nonreactive 4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and add enough water to cover the peels by about 1-inch. Place over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat and strain. Return only the peels to the saucepan, cover again with fresh water, and repeat the boiling and draining process three more times. It is really important to change the water because it retains the bitterness of the peel.
• After the fourth boil, drain the water as before and return the peels to the saucepan. Add the sugar and enough water to cover the peels by 1-inch. Place over low heat and let simmer for 2 hours. During this time, the sugar will sweeten and preserve the natural flavor of the peels. After 2 hours, they will be soft and translucent and the syrup will be thick. Let the peels cool in the syrup and keep them stored in the syrup, refrigerated, in an airtight container until you are ready to serve. They will keep this way for up to three weeks.
• When ready to use, allow the peels to drain on a wire rack for a few hours to remove the excess syrup. Put the rack over a baking sheet so the syrup does not drip all over the work surface.
• Once fully drained, you have three options for serving: First, you can serve them as they are. Second, you can place the peels in a medium-sized bowl filled with granulated sugar. Roll the peels around in the sugar until they are well coated. Third, you can dip the sugared peels into the bittersweet chocolate. Dip two thirds of each sugared peel into the bittersweet chocolate. Gently wipe the excess chocolate from the end of each peel before placing on parchment paper. The chocolate should set in a few minutes if it is tempered and the kitchen is not too hot.
• Whatever variation you choose, present the peels on a plate or in a small bowl or in petits fours cups.
• Once the peels have been sugared and dipped in chocolate, they can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days.
• How to Temper Chocolate(From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres):
• Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
• The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
• A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.

CANDIED GRAPEFRUIT BOWLS

Steps:

• Cut off the tops of the grapefruits a third of the way down from the stem end. Place trimmed bottoms in an 8-quart stockpot; cover with 3 quarts water. Cover surface of water directly with a piece of parchment paper cut to the same size as the diameter of the stockpot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours.
• Remove grapefruits; place upside down on a wire rack to drain. Reserve parchment round. When cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh with a spoon (do not puncture grapefruit skin). Discard flesh.
• Combine sugar, corn syrup, and 3 3/4 cups water in the stockpot; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, using a wet pastry brush to incorporate sugar crystals that form on the side of pot. Clip a candy thermometer to pot; cook until syrup reaches thread stage (230 degrees). Add grapefruit bowls; reduce heat. Cover with reserved parchment round, and simmer for at least 1 hour, occasionally turning gently. Grapefruits should be unevenly translucent. Turn off heat; let cool in syrup until completely translucent, about 2 hours. Using a whisk small enough to fit in the bowls, gently lift grapefruits from syrup. Place upside down on a rack over a baking sheet. Let dry overnight. Store in an airtight container lined with parchment.

EASY CANDIED GRAPEFRUIT PEEL

Steps:

• Quarter grapefruit and remove rinds; use interiors for another purpose. Slice each rind lengthwise into strips, approximately 1/4 inch at the widest point.
• Cover rind with 2 inches of water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil; boil for 3 minutes. Drain. Repeat 3 more times with fresh water. Drain.
• Place boiled grapefruit rind, 1 3/4 cups sugar, and 1 cup of fresh water into the saucepan. Let simmer slowly, increasing heat as needed, until water is absorbed or evaporated, about 1 hour.
• Place remaining 1 cup sugar in a large bowl and toss peels in it. Cool and allow to dry on wax paper or a wire rack. Dust with more sugar as preferred.

CANDIED GRAPEFRUIT BOWLS

Steps:

• Cut tops off grapefruits, a third of the way down from stem end. Place trimmed bottoms in 12-quart stockpot; cover with 4 quarts water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 2 hours.
• Remove grapefruits; place upside down on a wire rack to drain. When cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh with a spoon (do not puncture grapefruit skin).
• Combine sugar, corn syrup, and 5 cups water in the stockpot; bring to boil over medium heat, using wet pastry brush to brush down sugar crystals that form on side of pot. Clip candy thermometer to pot; cook until syrup reaches thread stage (230 degrees). Add grapefruit bowls, reduce heat, and simmer at least 1 hour, occasionally turning gently. Grapefruits should be unevenly translucent. Turn off heat; let cool in syrup until completely translucent. Using whisk small enough to fit in bowls, gently lift them from syrup. Place upside down on rack over baking sheet. Let dry overnight. Store in airtight container lined with parchment paper.

CANDIED GRAPEFRUIT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the candied zest: Remove the grapefruit zest with a vegetable peeler and slice into thin strands. Place in a saucepan; cover with water and bring to a simmer. Drain the zest and return to the saucepan; cover with water and repeat 2 more times. Set the zest aside. Juice the grapefruit into the saucepan, reserving 1 tablespoon for the frosting. Add the liqueur and granulated sugar; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the zest, reduce the heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; set aside. Reserve the syrup.
• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla and the grated grapefruit zest. Reduce the speed to medium and add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture; beat until the batter just comes together.
• Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each two-thirds of the way. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 18 minutes. Poke a few holes in each cupcake with a toothpick. Reheat the grapefruit syrup; brush generously over the cupcakes (reserve the remaining syrup). Remove the cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar, food coloring, grated grapefruit zest, liqueur and the reserved 1 tablespoon grapefruit juice; beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.
• Spread the frosting on the cupcakes. Dip grapefruit segments in the remaining syrup and set on the cupcakes; top with the candied zest.

CANDIED GRAPEFRUIT PEEL

Steps:

• With peel still on fruit, quarter peel lengthwise then remove, keeping pieces of peel intact.
• Reserve fruit for another use.
• Diagonally cut pieces of peel into 1/3-inch-wide strips.
• Put peel in a 3-quart saucepan filled with cold water and bring slowly to a boil over moderate heat.
• Boil 1 minute and drain.
• Repeat procedure 4 times to remove bitterness.
• Have ready a lightly oiled large rack set in a shallow baking pan.
• Bring regular granulated sugar and water to a boil in a large heavy skillet, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Add peel and boil, stirring, until most of syrup is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
• Turn out peel onto rack, separating pieces.
• Dry candied peel, uncovered, at room temperature until only slightly sticky, 4 to 8 hours.
• Toss, a few pieces at a time, in superfine sugar, shaking off excess.
• Cooks' notes: If sugar syrup begins to crystallize on peel, turn out of skillet immediately.
• Peel will still be good but will have a different appearance and won’t need a sugar coating.
• Candied peel keeps in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week or chilled 1 month.
• If chilled peel becomes too moist, pat dry and reroll in sugar.

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 GRAPEFRUIT PEEL

Steps:

• Take peel(make sure that no white part is on the peel, it's the bitter part) from 3 grapefruit and cook 5 minutes in water.
• Drain and repeat twice.
• Cut peel into strips (scissors work well).
• Cook peel gently in corn syrup until most is absorbed and the peel is shiny.
• Watch carefully as it can burn.
• Drain, cool, roll in granulated sugar.
• Lay out on cookie sheet to dry.
• Will keep in a tightly covered jar a long time.

CANDIED GRAPEFRUIT PEEL

Steps:

• Cut peel from grapefruits into 3/8" strips leaving 1/4" white pith attached. Place in a small saucepan; add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, then drain; repeat twice.
• Bring peel, 1 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup water to a boil in same saucepan; reduce heat and simmer until peel is translucent, 15-20 minutes. Drain; transfer peel to a wire rack and let dry, 2-4 hours. Toss in more sugar.