Candied fruit peel is a traditional Christmas treat, and can look beautiful as a decoration on anything you’ve baked. You can buy store bought, but as it’s Christmas, why not have a go at making your own? It’s easy and the peel tastes so much better than store bought.
Peel The Orange
Step one is to carefully remove the peel from the orange (or lemon, or any citrus fruit you choose). Try and scrape as much of the pith (white stuff) from the peel as you can. Lay the peel in strips on a lined baking tray, and bake for 10 minutes on an incredibly low heat (no more than 150 degrees F).
Heat The Sugar
Combine 1 cup of caster sugar with 2/3 cup of water and heat together in a pan. Once the sugar is liquefied, you should be ready to put the peel in – lower carefully in, using tongs, as the sugar water can be incredibly hot. Boil the peel in the sugar for 5 minutes.
Bake Again
Carefully remove the peel from the sugar and place back onto the lined baking tray. Bake at around 200 degrees F for 20 minutes, taking care that the peel doesn’t burn. Allow to cool before using in other recipes or to decorate a cake.
This recipe is super simple but can make all the difference in terms of the superior flavor of homemade candied peel.
