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I've tried a few methods which I had found online, but with very mixed results.

I wondered if anyone had any tried and tested methods/family recipies?

Thanks! :)

I did it accidentally when trying to make marmalade!

Yes I have, with pomelo, lemons, oranges, grapefruit and limes at different times
The pomelo one was particularly successful and rather tasty with a bitter sweet taste that was very nice in fruit cake.

The method I use is Mrs Beeton's and although a bit lengthy, it only takes a few minutes a day. If you're not familiar with her recipe I can post it here if you like.

Yes please, Tony.

We boil in water till just soft, disgard the liquid and then boil in a concentrated sugar syrup, stiring constantly to prevent burning. Strain the peel and leave to dry on something in our airing cupboard - silicone sheet (as much as i am anti silicone) is the easiest to remove it from.

OK Maggie.
Mrs Beeton starts off the same as Jed's, but then gets a lot more involved.

Boil in water until just soft.
Measure off 250ml of water and add 50g sugar & 100g glucose and boil to dissolve.
Add fruit peel to hot syrup and leave overnight.

Day 2: Drain syrup into saucepan and add another 50g sugar, bring to boil and pour over fruit.

Day 3 to 7: Repeat day 2 adding another 50g sugar each day

Day 8: Drain into saucepan and add another 75g sugar, dissolve and add fruit and boil for 3 - 4 mins, leave for 48 hrs

Day 10: Repeat day 8 and then leave for 4 days

Day 14: Remove from syrup and slowly dry on rack.

The remaining syrup is perfect as a sauce on ice cream or rice pudding.

Thanks to everyone for being so helpful

I feared that the method Tony posted may take up far too much of my small kitchen, so i tried the less time intensive one in hope that there will be less stuff around for a shorter period. heh.

I threaded it all with cotton and put it over a tray in the airing cuboard, hopefully it'll dry out properly :)

I also made a MEAN batch of almond biscotti today too! ...if only I could grow my own coffee here.

Be well; but don't fall in one.
J

How much peel?

Green Aura wrote:How much peel?

As much or as little as you like, bearing in mind that it has to be submerged in the syrup.
If you have too much you simply make more syrup.

Mrs Beeton's version sounds very time consuming, but in reality after the initial preparation it only takes about 5 minutes a day.
The reason she gives for the lengthy process is that (apparently) if you do it faster you end up with tough peel, but with slowly bringing up the sugar concentration it gives a soft, juicy peel .... which I can vouch for.

I did mine the same way as Jed, except that after it had dried a few hours but was still slightly tacky, I rolled the peels in granulated sugar.

If you use brown sugar and a little cinnamon, this same method makes incredible candied apple slices!