I make only one kind of candy: candied citrus peel. The reason is simple: I’ve never tasted a version that held a candle to homemade. The following method, developed from a composite of recipes, gives the best flavor balance with a minimum of effort.
5 |
pounds citrus fruit (oranges, grapefruits and/or pummelos) |
5 |
cups sugar |
4 |
cups water |
Score the skin of each citrus fruit in sections about 2 inches wide, cutting through the skin but not into the fruit. Use your fingers to peel the fruit, carefully running your thumb between the skin and the fruit to separate them. The pith will remain attached to the skin. Reserve the fruit for another use.
Put all the citrus peels in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, drain the peels and rinse briefly under cold water. Blanch the peels in the same manner 2 more times. After the third blanching, drain the peels and rinse them under cold water. Using a thin, sharp knife, remove as much pith as possible. You should be able to see some color through any remaining pith. Cut the peels into shreds ⅛ to ¼ inch wide.
While the peels are blanching, bring 4 cups of the sugar and the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until you have a thin syrup, about 1 hour. You will have about 4 cups syrup.
Cover the shredded citrus peel with cold water and bring to a simmer. Cook until the peel begins to lose its raw look, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and immediately, without rinsing the peel, transfer it to a large bowl. Cover the hot peel with the hot syrup and set aside for 1 hour to candy.
Heat the oven to warm. After the fruit has candied, place the remaining 1 cup sugar in the bottom of another large bowl. Drain the peel, add it to the sugar and toss to coat well. Shaking to remove any excess sugar, transfer the peel to a wire cake rack set over a jelly-roll pan to catch the sugar. Arrange in as thin a layer as possible. Place the rack and the pan in the oven for 30 minutes to dry.
Remove the peel from the oven and let it sit at room temperature to finish drying. The peel will become firmer and chewier over several days. When the peel is just the way you like it, place it in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to several months.