Citrus
Making candied citrus zest
An attractive and tasty way to decorate desserts, candied citrus zest can be made using orange, lemon and lime zest. It takes just over an hour to make and all you need is zest, sugar and water.
1 Wash the fruit well, then use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest in long strips.
2 Use a small sharp knife to remove any white pith from the zest.
3 The zest can be left in wide strips or shredded finely lengthways with the knife (try to keep the strips an even thickness).
4 Add the zest to a saucepan of simmering water and cook for 2 minutes — this will remove any residual bitterness. Remove using a slotted spoon and drain well.
5 Combine equal amounts of sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer, add the citrus zest and simmer for 10 minutes or until the mixture is syrupy and the zest is translucent.
6 Use a fork to remove the zest from the syrup and place on a wire rack. Set aside at room temperature for about 1 hour to drain and dry slightly. Use as desired. Candied citrus zest will keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 days.
Segmenting citrus
Citrus fruits are sometimes segmented when used in fruit salads and citrus desserts. This is an easy technique to master, and the results are impressive.
1 Use a small sharp knife to remove the skin and pith from the fruit.
2 Cut down the side of a fruit segment, cutting as close to the membrane that divides the segments as possible.
3 Cut down the other side of the segment and remove it. Repeat with the remaining segments until they are all removed.
Removing zest from citrus fruit
Citrus zest can be removed in a number of ways, depending on how it is to be used in a recipe. Take care to only remove the very top layer of zest so you don’t include any bitter white pith.
Fine-toothed perforations on box graters and Microplanes will produce very fine, almost powder-like, pieces. To prevent zest getting stuck between the holes, cover the grater with non-stick baking paper before grating.
Fine shredding perforations on box graters and Microplanes are usually used for hard cheeses but will effectively shred citrus zest.
A zesting tool will remove citrus zest in long thin strips, which make great decorations.