Candied Lemon Peel - Recipes From Europe (2024)

FAQs

What is the origin of candied citrus peel? ›

There is much evidence which shows this type of product was widely used in Ancient China and then much later in Mesopotamia in the 14^th century. So the actual process to make this has been refined over several centuries. Candied peel as we know it today came to us via the Arab culture in the 16^th century.

Since it's nearly impossible to remove the pith completely, the best way to get the bitter out is blanching the zest three times, by dropping it into boiling water to release the bitterness, then shocking it with ice water to stop the cooking (and repeat, and repeat).

The rind includes the zest and a bit of the bitter white underlayer, whereas the peel is the whole jacket — everything but the flesh. Zest contains the flavorful citrus oils and is the most widely useful of the three.

Candied Orange Peel / Scorza D'Arancia Candita.

Succade is the candied peel of any of the citrus species, especially from the citron or Citrus medica which is distinct with its extra-thick peel; in addition, the taste of the inner rind of the citron is less bitter than those of the other citrus.

Lemon peels are thought to contain plenty of bioactive compounds. They have excellent nutritional value, with a fair amount of vitamin C, fibre, calcium, potassium, D-limonene, and magnesium. These nutrients might contribute to the following lemon peel benefits: Improved oral health.

There is some anecdotal evidence to suggest that consuming boiled lemons can boost immunity, improve the skin, and even help people lose weight.

Lemon peels are known to promote weight loss and may slow down fat accumulation. This is because they contain pectin fibre, which may help in weight loss by making you feel full for longer. However, lemon juice does not contain any pectin and you will have to rely on the peels to get the same.

In order to get the bitterness out of the peel, you will need to boil the pieces multiple times and each time must start with fresh water. That's to remove any bitterness that the boiling water extracts. Once the boiling is finished, you'll make a simple syrup out of water and sugar.

A couple of those compounds, naringin and limonin, are the main contributors to bitterness in oranges. The reason blanching works so well is that both of those bitter compounds are soluble in hot water. This means the bitterness will leech out of the orange peel and dissolve into the pot of hot water.

Why are my candied lemons bitter? ›

If you find that your candied lemons taste too bitter, you can blanch them first to soften the rinds and remove some (if not all) of the bitterness. To do this, bring a pot of water to boil and drop the sliced lemons in.

Healthline reports that lemon rind isn't just safe to eat — like many citrus fruits, it's healthy, too. Lemon rinds contain a high concentration of vitamin C and other important nutrients. Just one tablespoon of lemon zest contains 9% of your daily vitamin C, and lemon peel is high in fiber, too.

Zest, often called lemon peel, is the small shavings from the brightly colored and intensely flavored outer skin of citrus fruit.

What you may not know, however, is that albedo, whose name comes from the Latin word “albus”, meaning white, is instead a “waste” product that is rich in properties. This part of the citrus fruit, between the pulp and the peel, contains a real concentrate of well-being for the body.

The practice dates back to the ancient Romans, who preserved the summer's bounty of dates, pears and grapes for the winter in jars of honey. In 16th-century Elizabethan England, conspicuous displays of sugar, a pricey commodity at the time, became the ultimate boast, and banquet tables gleamed with candied fruits.

The basic process in the origin of candied fruits dates back to the 14th century, when sugar starts to be known out of India. The process is based on keeping the whole fruits, its peels or even small cut pieces of it in a hot dense syrup that absorbs moisture from the fruit and is able to preserve it.

Tanghulu is a sweet-and-sour treat of skewered candied fruit, traditionally hawthorn berries, encased in crystallized sugar. It's said to have originated in northern China during the Song Dynasty (960 to 1279), when the emperor's favorite concubine supposedly fell sick and a two-week diet of tanghulu healed her.

The ancient denizens of Mesopotamia, China, Egypt and the Roman Empire preserved fruits in a similar way using honey, long before Christianity. Each appears to have discovered the method independently, and since it was a very long time ago we cannot say for sure who did it first.