Candied Fruit Peels. Adapted from the Food Network.

 

 Note: Read this recipe a couple of times before starting. I recommend using a candy thermometer, and pre-measuring all ingredients.

Ingredients

• 6 -12 orange, grapefruit and lemon peels.  Can be any combination, or just one type.
  
• 4 1/2 cups sugar, plus extra for rolling
• 1 1/2 cups water
• optional 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, or nutmeg or whole cloves. Or a combination of all three.

Directions

 Wash your peels. Remove all the fruit left inside. Leaving the outside peel and the white part intact. Cut the peel into strips about 1/4-inch wide. Should look like the picture below:

Put the orange peel in a large saucepan with cold water to cover, bring to a boil over high heat. Then pour off the water. Repeat 1 or 2 more times depending up how assertive you want the range peels to be. (They recommended 3 blanches and we agreed. We  liked the texture of a 3 time blanch best, it also mellowed the bitterness. But it is a matter of preference.) Remove the orange peels from the pan.

Whisk the sugar with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 to 9 minutes ( If using a candy thermometer it would be at the soft thread stage, 230 to 234 degrees F.) Add your optional seasonings here. stir once.  Add the peels and simmer gently, reducing heat to retain a simmer. Cook until the peels get translucent, about 45 minutes. Resist the urge to stir the peels(THIS IS IMPORTANT**** DO NOT STIR THE PEELS ONCE THEY ARE IN THE SYRUP****.) or you may introduce sugar crystals into the syrup. If necessary, swirl the pan to move the peels around. Drain the peels, (save the syrup for ice tea.)Remove your whole cloves, if used. Save for later. Roll the peels in sugar and dry on a rack, for 4 to 6 hours. Or use a food dehydrator.  Spray the racks with Pam first.  Dehydrate about 3 hours or until desired chewiness. :P Store in an airtight container with a 1/2 cup sugar and the whole cloves you saved earlier.