Candied Lemon Peel Help

Baking By Aburd Updated 16 Jun 2015 , 1:52am by Gerle

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Aburd Posted 1 Apr 2015 , 1:49am
post #1 of 17

I made homemade candied lemon peel to garnish the top of my pink lemonade cupcakes...i left it out overnight and now some of the pieces are too dry to use and the sugar is falling off...does anyone know the best way to rehydrate it or is it even possible? Its not a quick process to make it so i'd rather not have to throw it out and start over....any advice would be awesome!! 

Thanks :D


16 replies
-K8memphis Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
-K8memphis Posted 1 Apr 2015 , 2:16am
post #2 of 17

if the cupcakes don't need to all look uniform -- you could chop/mince it and sprinkle it on -- i don't remember mine ever getting too dry -- i don't know about that part -- crisp would probably be pretty good no?

don't throw it out though -- bag it up -- you'll find a new use for it if you don't use it now

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Aburd Posted 1 Apr 2015 , 2:23am
post #3 of 17

some pieces are still good and they don't have to be uniform at all...was gonna cut them in half anyways but the sugar is coming off of the peel in pieces , not just sprinkles....where the whole peel is back to shiny yellow...somehow its not adhering to it....i'll chuck it all in a ziploc and see how that works in the morning :D...thanks for the reply! :D


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thecakewitch Posted 1 Apr 2015 , 2:26am
post #4 of 17

Wash it up with water. Repeat the last part of the process (boil in simple syrup, drain, and sugar). I haven't done this , I'm just thinking it might work.

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Aburd Posted 1 Apr 2015 , 2:28am
post #5 of 17

ok i'll give that a go if keeping it sealed up overnight doesn't work...i was wondering if i could just dunk it back in and rehydrate it a bit....i don't want it too crunchy, but not soggy either...thanks :D


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-K8memphis Posted 1 Apr 2015 , 2:29am
post #6 of 17

good idea, thecakewitch -- i've never done it either but it doesn't seem like it could hurt anything and it should work -- fingers crossed for yah, aburd -- let us know how it goes -- best to you

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Gerle Posted 1 Apr 2015 , 2:31am
post #7 of 17

That's a good question, because my son and his fiance are planning on garnishing lemon cupcakes with homemade candied lemon peel for their wedding.  I have some in a jar now.  It'll probably be gone by the time they get married in June, but if I have their cupcakes decorated and boxed up the night before their wedding, I don't want them drying out too much by the time they are eaten the following night (they are having an evening wedding).  I'll be watching to see the responses to this as well, but as K8memphis said, I wouldn't throw them out.  I'm sure they could be chopped up and used in another recipe or even on top of something for a delicious lemony crunch.

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Aburd Posted 1 Apr 2015 , 3:13am
post #8 of 17

i think if i would have put them into a jar after they dried a bit they would still be good...but now the sugar is off so i assume re-wetting them would work....i think it would be better to make the actual slices of peel thicker too...the thicker ones aren't shedding the sugar so thats  something to remember for next time :D...i'll post sometime tomorrow after i see what overnight results are in the ziploc :D


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Aburd Posted 1 Apr 2015 , 3:14am
post #9 of 17

i would think i could just dump the whole works into the simple syrup too since the sugar will remelt no?

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-K8memphis Posted 1 Apr 2015 , 1:07pm
post #10 of 17

yes i'd think so -- 

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Gerle Posted 3 Apr 2015 , 10:52pm
post #11 of 17

So how did this end up turning out Aburd?  

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Aburd Posted 16 Jun 2015 , 12:59am
post #12 of 17

Hi there, i ended up making more, and made the peels a bit thicker, and as soon as i dipped them in the sugar i put them into a ziploc when they were still soft....the candies were soft and pliable when i needed them and were perfect :D

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Gerle Posted 16 Jun 2015 , 1:12am
post #13 of 17

I've made several batches of these since I got the recipe - some crispier than others - and the family has loved them all.  I've used them on cupcakes for my younger son's wedding, I've used them inside cupcakes for a bit of lemony crunch, and the family loves them both ways -- a bit crunchy and a bit soft.  I'm glad I got the recipe for these and I found a new way to use up lemon rinds.  I also end up with a lot more lemon juice in the freezer!  My family even likes grabbing handfuls of them and eating it like candy!  Gotta hide them if I want to use them for baking!

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lovecakes52 Posted 16 Jun 2015 , 1:21am
post #14 of 17

These sound so yummy to go on top to Garnish Cupcakes or cakes! Gerle would you please mind sharing your recipe? I would greatly appreciate it! ThankS

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Gerle Posted 16 Jun 2015 , 1:40am
post #15 of 17

The recipe I use I got off the internet and I definitely do more than the single recipe.  I usually double or triple the recipe.  And even though the original recipe called for oranges, I used Meyer lemons and regular lemons instead.  I plan on trying oranges and limes as well, but so far have only done the lemons.  What I also do is I cut a lot of the white pith off of the peel before I boil it because we don't like a lot of that on the lemon peel.  The recipe is as follows:

1 cup lemon peel, cut into strips

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup water

Place peel strips in large saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes longer.  Drain.  Repeat this process two more times.  So in total, you are boiling and draining the peels 3 times.

In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar and 1/4 cup water over high heat until boiling.  After the third boiling, place the peel in sugar mixture; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, until sugar is dissolved.  Remove peel with slotted spoon and dry on wire rack overnight.  I place either parchment paper or aluminum foil under the rack over a cookie sheet during the drying process.   Store in airtight container.

Generally, I let the peels dry a couple of days, then I place them in a bowl, add some sugar to them, mix them up so that they are sugar coated, then store them in a canning jar with a lid or whatever container you decide to store them in.  That's how my family likes them.  I have to keep an eye on them because my family likes to eat them right out of the jar like candy!

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lovecakes52 Posted 16 Jun 2015 , 1:47am
post #16 of 17

Thank You So Much Gerle for the Recipe!!!! I sent you a personal message also asking!! I am going to try this they sound so yummy!! Thank You!!

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Gerle Posted 16 Jun 2015 , 1:52am
post #17 of 17

You're welcome.  It sounds like a lot of steps and time, but it really isn't.  It goes by a lot quicker than you think, except for the drying time.  My family feels it's well worth the time, however.  I've never seen them want to eat something quite so quickly!  Hope you enjoy them!  Oh...One thing I do, too, i put my sugar through the food processor so it's fine...or you can buy fine sugar in the store.  I do it just so the sugar coating on the rinds isn't super chunky.

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