What is it?

Never in my life have I ever had a need for candied mixed peel. Until I did and I couldn’t find it anywhere. Why? I can find fruit cake mix but I’m not trying to make fruit cake. I am trying to make mincemeat pies. So here we are making it from scratch.

Candied mixed peel is orange and lemon peels boiled, candied in sugar and dried. There is evidence that it seemed to start off in Arab culture as something served at banquets.

Ingredients

• 3 Oranges( juiced)
• 3 Lemons(Juiced)
• 3 cups water
• 3 cups sugar for boiling
• 1 cup sugar for dusting

Directions

• Cut and juice all your citrus. Make sure you remove all the fruit flesh from the peel otherwise they won’t dry properly. (I learned from experience.)
• Save the juice to use later if you like.
• Cut the peel into small pieces.
• Add four cups of water to a large pot and boil the peel for 15 minutes.
• Drain the water and fill again. Boil for another 15 minutes. This should soften the peel quite a lot.
• Drain the water. Fill the pot with 3 cups water and 3 cups sugar. Turn on medium high heat and stir till sugar is dissolved.
• Add peel and bring to boil.
• Turn heat down to simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
• Drain the water. On a baking sheet put your 1 cup of sugar and dust the peel.
• On a piece of parchment or foil put the peel and allow to dry completely.
• Store in an airtight container in the fridge.