Candied lemon peels

By Tina Stamos on January 12th, 2023
Candied lemon peel 600x600

Tartly sweet or sweetly tart, candied lemons embody the seemingly incongruent flavours of sugar and lemons. No matter how you serve them—on the side of a cocktail glass, atop a lemon cake or in a candy dish—these Candied Lemon Peels are a delightful way to wake up your taste buds.

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Candied lemon peel 600x600

Ingredients

  • 4 lemons preferably Meyer lemons
  • 3¼ cups sugar, divided

Directions

  1. Slice the lemons into 4 quarters lengthwise. Peel the lemon flesh away from the lemon peel. Use the flesh for another purpose.
  2. With a small spoon, scrape the white pith away from the outer peel, leaving a very thin layer of white on the peel.
  3. Cut the peels into thin strips.
  4. Place the strips of peel into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring the water to a rolling boil, and boil for 30 seconds.
  5. Remove saucepan from heat and pour contents into a colander to drain.
  6. Repeat the boiling and draining process.
  7. When you are finished with the second round of boiling and draining, add 4 cups of fresh water to the saucepan along with 3 cups of sugar. Whisk the contents while the sugar completely dissolves in the heated water.
  8. Add the lemon peels to the saucepan and bring to a boil.
  9. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and let the peels cook for 60 to 90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so. The peels are ready when they are transparent and easy to bite through.
  10. Remove the peels from the heat and drain.
  11. Place peels on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread them out in a single layer, and let them cool for about 15 minutes until they are sticky to the touch.
  12. In a small bowl, pour ¼ cup sugar. Dip peels in sugar until well coated. Let dry 2 to 3 hours or overnight. Enjoy!