Step-by-step recipe on how to make delicious candied fruits from lemon peels at home

This unusual, exquisite, tasty and aromatic dessert will decorate any table. Candied candied fruits, prepared from simple lemon peels according to the recipe, have a light, piquant bitterness and refreshing sourness. They remind you of warm, sunny summer days and will easily cheer you up on frosty winter evenings. They are used as a separate delicacy or decorated with cakes, sweet pastries, and ice cream.

What are the benefits of this delicacy?

Candied fruits retain many of the beneficial properties of fresh lemon zest. This is a high-calorie product, which contains a lot of glucose, micro- and macroelements (iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium) and substances beneficial to the human body. They also have a high content of vitamins C, B1, B2, A, as well as PP.

Required Ingredients

In order to prepare excellent candied fruits, choose ripe, elastic lemons with thick skin. For sprinkling, instead of sugar, you can use powdered sugar. But the syrup remaining after cooking can be used to soak biscuits - this will give them a special taste.

Ingredients:

• lemons (large) - 10 pieces (400 grams of peels should come out);
• sugar – 600 grams (for making syrup);
• sugar – 90 grams (for sprinkling candied fruits);
• water – 400 milliliters;
• citric acid – 8-10 grams.

Preparatory work

The fruits are washed well and dried with paper or cloth towels. Afterwards they are cut into 4 parts and, using a sharp knife, the skin is carefully removed, along with the white bitter film.

It is important to do this without leaving any pulp on the skin.

Step-by-step process for preparing candied fruits

Preparing candied fruits at home is not difficult, but housewives need to be patient and follow the recipe step by step.

Preparing and soaking lemon peels

Before you begin the cooking process, the crusts must be soaked and prepared.

Step by step steps for preparation:

1. Place the lemon peels in a large saucepan and pour in cold water – it should completely cover the peels. Soak them for 3-4 days. It is important to change the water to fresh water 2-3 times a day.This technique will help get rid of the bitterness inherent in lemon peels.
2. At the end of soaking, the peels are poured into a colander and washed with clean running water.
3. Then dry with paper towels and place on a cutting board.
4. The crusts are cut into strips up to 1 centimeter thick or into cubes with a side of 1 centimeter.
5. Then transfer to a large saucepan, add cold water and place over medium heat.
6. Bringing to a boil, cook the crusts for 10-15 minutes, stirring with a wooden spatula.

Cook the preparations in syrup

Now the lemon peel goes through the second stage of preparation, which consists of cooking in syrup.

Step by step steps for preparation:

1. Place the boiled crusts in a colander and leave for 10 minutes to drain the liquid, and then pour into a deep pan.
2. 350 milliliters of water are poured into them and sugar is added. The workpiece is again placed on medium heat and stirred constantly with a spatula.
3. Don't be afraid that the crusts will burn - after a few minutes they will release juice and the sugar will begin to melt.
4. Boil the aromatic citrus syrup for 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Then the syrup is removed from the heat and left to cool.
5. After the workpiece has cooled, put it back on medium heat and add citric acid dissolved in a spoonful of water. Then mix everything and bring the liquid to a boil.
6. Now boil the mass until the liquid has almost completely evaporated. This takes about 15 minutes.

Bringing the dish to readiness

Now place a metal grid with medium-sized cells on a baking sheet and begin the final stage of preparing candied fruits.

Step by step steps for preparation:

1. Remove the pan with the preparation from the stove, pour all the contents into a colander and leave for 5-7 minutes.
2. After this, the still sticky lemon peels are placed on a wire rack, allowed to dry slightly and cool for a few minutes.
3. Then they are generously sprinkled with the remaining sugar and left for 2-3 hours at room temperature. This will allow the candied fruits to dry on the outside while remaining soft on the inside.
4. Now comes the last step in preparation - the baking sheet with candied fruits is placed in a dry, ventilated and warm place, where the candied fruits reach condition within 1 week.

Microwave recipe

You can also make candied fruits in the microwave. Lemon peels are cut into strips and boiled in syrup. Then put them in a colander to drain, cover a plate with parchment and put them in the microwave. Turn on the grill mode and dry in 3 batches for 15 minutes. Moreover, it is important to ensure that they do not burn.

Storage rules and periods

They are stored in tin or cardboard boxes, the bottom is pre-lined with paper. You can also store in clean glass jars, closing the lid or covering with a cloth napkin. Place them in a dark, dry and cool, periodically ventilated place; an ordinary home pantry will do.