Spring's Favorite Garnish: Candied Citrus
Updated: Mar 31, 2020
Happy New year everyone! We are full swing into 2020 and Spring is pretty much here in Florida. During the Holiday's I was making homemade garnishes that everyone one was going crazy over, so I have been thinking about what I can bring to my boards in the new year.
I was inspired by the color yellow this week. I am a scorpio so I am drawn to those "firey" colors - orange, yellow, red! When I was shopping at my local Aldi and came across and bag of Meyers Lemons, I knew I had to pick them up. When I got home from the store I realized that these beautiful pops of color would be the perfect garnish for my Spring boards. The question was - how do I make these both edible and beautiful?
The Answer: candy them! (cranberries 2.0)
Recipe:
2 c sugar
1 c water
12 lemon/ blood orange slices (you can really candy any citrus thing lemon, limes, oranges etc.) cut them thin maybe no thicker than a 1/8 in.
Directions:
- Combine water and sugar in large pan and bring to a boil (the sugar will dissolve and mixture should become clear)
- add in slices of fruit - make sure the fruit is flat and no overlap is occurring (every fruit has their own floating space) *see photo here*
- Bring water to a simmer and let fruit simmer for 15-20 minutes, flip them over once or twice
- The fruit is ready when the rind becomes "transparent" we want the rind to be cooked fully so there is no more tart taste
- Lay the fruit out on a baking sheet and let cool and dry for as long as possible (I am drying for 24 hours *updated note* the drying process in Florida is taking much longer than anticipated (I think this is due to the high humidity we have here) - I have now allowed the fruit to dry for 3 days and they are finally becoming firm and not tacky to the touch! (line the cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up)
- These slices will be best to eat in 2 days - this will allow for the fruit to dry and not stick
- When ready to serve sprinkle with sugar to coat lightly
Learnings:
- when you decide to make these candied fruits make sure you are planning ahead! They will not be ready the day of - plan for at least 48 hours of drying
To Store:
- use an airtight container
- layer the slices in with sugar to keep them from sticking together
- can be stored in the fridge or dark dry place like a pantry for 3-6 months
