Homemade Peel

I love orange or lemon peel but many others don't. They see it as the waxy, tasteless sticky gunk you get in those plastic pots from the supermarket. If this is you I must convert you to the joys of homemade peel. When homemade it's vibrant and citrusy and, even quite healthy being fat less and all. (That is if you don't smother them in chocolate!) I always make mine at Christmas but it's just as nice at any time of the year. 

It's a really easy recipe just use the ratio 1:1:1, 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar for every 1 cup of peel. Just make sure when your peeling the fruit you don't get any where near the pith as it's bitter and makes your mouth go all dry which is not what we want.You can use lemons, oranges and grapefruits are good too because of their thick skin just don't try limes as the zest is to thin to make any thing with.

Makes 1 cup

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of water

1 cup of peel

Granulated sugar for coating

1/2 cup or 75g of chocolate (optional)

1. Take off the peel with a knife then cut it up into thin matchsticks. Put the peel into a saucepan with the sugar and water and put on a very low heat, don't even simmer, for a couple of hours when the peel is very soft and tender and can be easily inserted with a knife.

2. Shake off the excess sugar syrup and roll in the granulated sugar until even coated then place on a baking sheet. You can just leave them on the baking tray to dry overnight or if your oven can heat low temperatures then put them in the oven at 50°C or 122°F until dry.

3. If you are using the chocolate melt it then dip the  peel into it and leave to set on the baking tray.