Candied Lemon Peel can give dishes a wonderful fruity note. If you are looking for how to make candied lemon peel, I will share this easy recipe with you.
Candied Lemon Peel in Germany is called Zitronat. Lemons in German are called "Zitrone" and it is an important baking ingredient here.
The recipe is actually quite easy (and almost identical to making candied orange peel). The lemon rind's bitterness is removed by boiling them in salted water. Then the lemon skin is crystalized by boiling it in a highly concentrated sugar emulsion. Once the lemon rind is dried, you can use it for your recipes.
Uses of Candied Lemon Peel
The sugared peel of lemons can be used in many different ways. Although you could eat it straight as it is, it is not as palatable as candied orange peel. It is better as a helper to bring out the flavor in other dishes.
Candied Lemon peels for cocktails bring a fruity flavor to some classic drinks, such as Old Fashioned, Martinis, Margaritas, or Limoncellos.
They are also popular for decorating a cake, as they add a colorful edible garnish.
In Germany, sugared lemon peel is especially used in baking. Especially famous German Christmas Foods such as German Stollen, Lebkuchen, and cookies. There are also many yeasted bread and bread roll recipes that use Zitronat as it gives them a special citrus note. Not only does it alter the flavor, but it also adds an alternative texture.
Recipes using sugared lemon peel
Equipment needed:
- Jar (to store the finished product)
- baking parchment
- baking tray
- saucepan
- chopping board
- sharp knife
How to make Candied Lemon Peel - Step by Step
1. Prepare the lemons by washing them with warm water. Now slice the lemon peel lengthwise so you end up with 4 equal parts and pull off the skin.
2. Using a knife remove the white flesh on the inside of the peel, as this contains a lot of bitterness.
- Place the orange peels in a pot and cover them with water. Add a teaspoon of salt, bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
- Strain the peels, and add them back into the pot. Cover with a little water and boil for about 5 minutes. Repeat this step a second time (or even a third if you find your peels still too bitter).
- Now drain and weigh your lemon peels (mine were 400 g/ 14 oz) and then weigh off the exact same weight in sugar.
- Place the lemon peel and sugar back into the pot. Add about 150 ml /5 fl oz of water to the saucepan (scale according to how much orange peel you have) and bring to a boil. Cook for about 1 hour on low heat. If necessary you can add a little more water, if too much has evaporated. In the end, you will see that a thick syrup will have formed.
- Remove lemons from the pot and leave them to drain off any excess liquid. Place them on a baking tray lined with baking parchment and leave them to dry. This could take around 2-3 days. If your radiators are on at home, you can place them nearby to accelerate the process. Another option is to heat your oven to around 50°C/122°F and dry your orange peels for approximately 2-3 hours.
- Once the peel has dried, chop it into small cubes and store it in an airtight jar until needed.
Storage Instructions
Store your candied lemon peel in an airtight jar. You can keep it at room temperature or in the fridge and it will last up to 6 weeks.
You can also freeze the lemon peel. Just make sure that it is placed in an airtight container, as otherwise, it may dry out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mixed peel is a term used in British baking, and consists of candied lemon and candied orange peel. These are used for British Christmas cakes or Bakewell tarts.
Commercial Zitronat uses a special citrus fruit called "Citrus medica". The fruit has a thicker skin than the ordinary lemon. To make homemade citrus peel, it is sufficient to use ordinary lemons. Just make sure they are untreated so that the skin is suitable for eating.
Not everybody likes the taste and texture of the candied peel. The best way to substitute it in baking is to use dried fruit such as apricots, dates, or pineapple.
More German Christmas Essentials
Did you try this recipe?
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Recipe
Easy Candied Lemon Peel (German Zitronat)
Equipment
- 1 glas jar with lid
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 chopping board
- 1 sieve
Ingredients
- 4 lemons untreated - make sure the skin is safe for eating.
- granulated sugar
- water
Instructions
- Wash the lemons thoroughly with warm water. Cut each fruit lengthwise into quarters and carefully remove all the peel pieces.4 lemons
- Using a sharp knife, scrape away the white pith from the inside of each peel - this step is crucial since the pith adds unwanted bitterness.
- Place the peels in a saucepan and cover completely with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, then drain. Repeat this blanching process to remove excess bitterness.
- Strain the peels, and add them back into the pot. Cover with a little water and boil for about 5 minutes. Repeat this step a second time. (or even a third if you find your peels still too bitter)water
- Drain the blanched peels thoroughly and weigh them. You'll need an equal weight of granulated sugar (so 7oz/200 gr of peels equals 7oz/200 gr of sugar).granulated sugar
- Return the peels and sugar to your saucepan. Pour in just enough water to cover them and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add more water as needed - you want a thick, glossy syrup coating the peels.
- Remove the peels from the syrup and let excess liquid drip off. Arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let them air-dry for 2-3 days, or speed up the process by placing them near a heating vent. For faster results, dry them in your oven at the lowest setting (around 50°C/120°F) for 2-3 hours, checking frequently.
- Then cut the peels into small cubes, optionally dust with powdered sugar to remove any leftover moisture and store in an airtight container in a cool place.
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