This treat was a favorite of Blanca Rosa, who would use the leftover rinds from the half grapefruits we all ate for breakfast. But she was the only one who ate these candied rinds. We never even tasted them!
It was only many years later that we discovered chocolate covered orange peels that we realized she was onto something!
Candied Citrus Peels
Ingredients
- 2 or 3 grapefruits or oranges
- water
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Score the fruit in quarters and carefully remove the peel intact. Cut the citrus peels into strips.
- Place the peels in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then drain. Repeat three times with fresh water to remove the bitterness. Set blanched peels aside.
- In the same saucepan, combine 2 cups sugar, 1 cup water, and lemon juice and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
- Add the blanched peels to the syrup and simmer one hour.
- Allow to cool overnight in syrup, then store in a jar. Or for a dry version, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack over a sheet pan. Dried peels can be rolled in sugar or dipped in chocolate, and reserved syrup can be used in iced tea or cocktails.