Candied Meyer Lemon Peel Food

CANDIED MEYER LEMON PEEL

Steps:

• Halve lemons crosswise and juice, if desired, reserving juice for another use. Cut each half into 4 equal pieces. Using a small sharp knife, remove the flesh from skin; if flesh has not been juiced, reserve for another use. Cut skin (pith and peel) into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside.
• Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce to a simmer and add lemon skin; let cook until skin offers no resistance when chewed, about 45 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Fill a large saucepan with 3 1/4 cups water. Add sugar and cream of tartar. Place over medium high heat and cook until sugar has dissolved. Add lemon skin to saucepan and bring to a simmer; let cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches 230 degrees on a candy thermometer, 50 to 55 minutes.
• Drain lemon skin and place on a wire rack set over a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet; let dry until less sticky, about 2 days. Gently toss in sugar to coat. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place; do not refrigerate.

MEYER LEMON CURD TART WITH CANDIED LEMON PEELS

Steps:

• For the candied lemon peels: Set a wire rack into a rimmed baking sheet. Use a vegetable peeler to peel 1/2-inch strips from 3 of the lemons; reserve. Juice all 5 lemons (you should have about 1/2 cup); cover and refrigerate the juice. Put the reserved strips of peel into a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain the peels and repeat the process 2 more times. Pat the peels completely dry.
• Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the peels and cook until they start to turn translucent, 6 to 7 minutes. Use tongs to remove them from the saucepan and lie them flat on the prepared rack. Let dry at room temperature, 6 hours and up to overnight. Toss the peels with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a small bowl.
• For the shortbread crust: Position an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch tart pan with cooking spray.
• Add the flour, butter and confectioners' sugar to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces. Add the egg and pulse until the dough comes together. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared tart pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool slightly on a rack, about 30 minutes.
• For the lemon curd: Meanwhile, whisk the reserved lemon juice, eggs, yolks, milk and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat until well combined. Add the butter and stir continuously until the mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon, 10 to 12 minutes. Strain the curd if any lumps form, then pour into the crust and smooth with a spatula.
• Bake until the curd is set, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool slightly on a rack, about 30 minutes, then transfer to the fridge to cool completely, about 1 hour more. Decorate with the candied peels and serve cold.

CANDIED LEMON PEELS

Steps:

• Use a vegetable peeler to remove the peel from the lemon in vertical strips. Try to remove only the yellow zest, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible. Save the lemon for another use.
• In a small saucepan, combine the peels with 2 cups cold water. Bring to a boil, then drain off the water. Again add 2 cups cold water, bring to a boil, and drain. Repeat the process a third time, then remove the peels from the pan and set aside.
• Measure 2 cups of the sugar into the pan and add 1 cup water, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Add the peels and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the peels are tender and translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the peels and let cool.
• Measure the remaining 1/2 cup sugar into a medium bowl and add the peels. Toss to coat. Using a fork or your fingers, remove the peels one at time, gently shaking each to remove excess sugar. Store in an airtight container. The peels will keep for several weeks.

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 MEYER LEMONS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves.
• Add lemon slices, cover surface with parchment paper, reduce heat, and simmer until rinds are translucent, about 30 minutes.
• Let cool in syrup.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove slices to a wire rack positioned over a rimmed baking sheet.
• Let syrup drip off.

CANDIED LEMON PEEL

Steps:

• Cut lemons into slices about 1/4 inch thick and remove the fruit pulp. Cut the rings in half so the peels are in long strips.
• Bring water and lemon peel to a boil in a small pan. Drain water, and repeat with fresh cold water. Repeat the boiling step three times (see Editor's Note). Drain and set peels aside.
• Combine 2 cups fresh water with 2 cups sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat to low and stir in citrus peels; simmer until the white pith is translucent. Store peels in syrup, refrigerated, to keep them soft, or allow them to dry. Toss dry candied peels in additional sugar and store airtight at room temperature.

CANDIED LEMON, ORANGE OR GRAPEFRUIT PEEL

Steps:

• With sharp knife, score the skin of the fruit (use only one type for a batch) into quarters,then peel it off with your fingers, keeping the pith attached.
• Lay each quarter of skin on a cutting board and cut to make uniform strips from 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide, according to your preference; you should have about 3 cups of strips.
• Cover peels with water in saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute,then drain, cover with water again and repeat two times (total of three times).
• Then, cover again and simmer the peel for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• In the saucepan, make the syrup with sugar, water and corn syrup. Boil for about two minutes, then add the peel.
• Simmer briskly stirring occasionally, until the syrup is considerably reduced, then watch closely.
• The point of decision:.
• If you want a tender candied peel, cook until perhaps 3 tbsp syrup is left, and drain the peels (you can save the syrup).
• Medium-firm, leave only a spoonful of syrup, then drain.
• For candy-like crisp peel, watch closely until the syrup is on the point of hardening and has almost vanished.
• Arrange the peel on a bed of sugar on a jelly roll pan at whatever stage you have stopped cooking. Straiten the strips while hot if you want them symmetrical, or crumble them if you like a kinky tangle.
• Sprinkle more sugar over the strips and toss them occasionally as they cool.
• When cool enough to handle, put the strips onto cake racks and let them dry. The consistency of the finished candy will depend partly on the point at which the cooking stopped, but also on how long the strips are left to dry. They will keep indefinitely if candied 'hard'; not quite as long if left translucent and flexible. The choice is yours.