This recipe came to be out of desperation. I was on a mission to develop a Traditional Three Kings Cake for Spanglish Baby and could not find candied citrus anywhere. I searched high and low, specialty stores, Latin markets, candy stores. Nothing. Christmas was over and all the candied fruits disappeared. Just my luck.
I couldn’t let that hold me back. So I decided to make my own. The process is simple but it does take some time. These lemon, lime and orange peels can be made in a large batch. Whatever you have left over after decorating your Three Kings Cake, you can dip in chocolate, let dry and gift them as Valentine’s Day treats to your loved ones.
Candied Citrus Peels
Makes approximately 24
Ingredients
2 large oranges
3 lemons
3 limes
2 cups sugar plus 1 cup more for dredging
4 cups water
Instructions:
Cut and peel the citrus fruits in wedges and remove the peel carefully. With a small knife remove as much of the pith as possible.
In a medium saucepan, place water and sugar over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add peels, bring to a boil and lower heat to simmer for 2 hours.
Remove from heat and let peels cool in the saucepan for approximately 1 hour.
Drain syrup. Dredge each peel in sugar, coat to cover and place in a baking sheet covered with wax paper.
Let sugar-covered peels dry overnight. Decorate your Three Kings Cake or enjoy them as is!
For this delicious Three Kings Cake recipe, head on over to Spanglish Baby’s The Culture of Food Section.
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This is sooo cool! I never thought to make my own and honestly if it weren’t for your post, I may never have considered it. I think it will be a great addition to the lemon jello cupcakes my daughter is making this weekend. Thank you for the great tips, recipes and ideas. BTW HAPPY NEW YEAR! In otra vez…
Thanks Sadie,
Happy New Year to you too!!
She can arrange them like flower petals and her cupcakes can look really cute
Wow! This is my first time learning about how to make the candied citrus peels. I love your step by step photos!
Thanks Isabel. They were fun to make. Easy but time consuming but oh so worth the wait.
Desperation leads to greatness!
These look amazing and love the idea of dipping them in chocolate for a Valentine´s Day. Now, if I could be as inspired….
Totally, Ana. I’m so glad I was able to create this on my own.
Thank you! I used a potato peeler, which made for less work, but more inconsistent shapes. Also, wanted to use some the same day for our Rosca, so popped a few in the oven at 200 degrees for a few minutes and they were dried and ready to go! Starting on our Rosca now, can’t wait to see how it all comes out!
That’s awesome Kristina! Happy 3 Kings Day!
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