Making your own MIXED PEEL is a breeze

Posted by Tricia on 19 October 2011 | 3 Comments

Making your own mixed peel is a breeze. It takes hardly any time at all but is a process that is completed over two days. Now's the time to be making it. Backyard citrus trees are laden and christmas cake making time is just around the corner.  I'll be making my christmas cake next month so it can mature fully before it's devoured! So here's how I make mixed peel. You can use any citrus that you have; limes, lemons, grapefruit, oranges or tangelos. For more details read the full post 

Ingredients;

5 average sized citrus fruits. Today I used oranges and lemons

1 1/2 cups sugar

Peel the fruit in strips about an inch or so wide, leaving as much of the white pith on as you can.

Cut the peel into approx 1/4inch wide pieces.

Now place the chopped citrus peel into a saucepan. Just cover the fruit with water. Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes of simmering, drain the water off. Repeat the process by putting the peel back into the pan and add enough water just to cover. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Drain the liquid off again but this time reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid.

Pour the reserved liquid plus 1/2 cup water and 1 cup of the sugar into a saucepan. Gently bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

 Once the sugar mixture has come to the the boil pour over the peel and leave to stand overnight.

Come the next day, place the peel and the liquid, and the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar into a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring up to the boil and reduce heat to a simmer, continuing to simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat and drain well.

Spread the peel out on greaseproof or brown paper and allow to stand overnight to dry. Occassionally move the peel about with a fork to keep them separate.

If storing your mixed peel in the fridge, it will last for about one month. If you want to keep for longer you can freeze in little snap lock bags.  Perfect for Christmas cake and Easter hot cross buns. Enjoy!

 

 


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Comments

  • Thanks Peter. It sure is a great recipe. I could kick myself that I didn't make more last season. I will this season because it really does keep for many months in the freezer. I used mine all up over Christmas and had to buy some this Easter for my hot crossies ;(

    Posted by tricia, 01/04/2013 1:44am (2 months ago)

  • Thank you soooo much for posting this simple, but most effective method. Each batch comes out wonderfully.
    If spread and separated on a sheet pan and put into the freezer and later portioned into cling warp packets and then into a Ziploc bag, it keeps wonderfully well in the freezer for weeks on end!

    Posted by Peter Welch, 28/03/2013 4:24pm (2 months ago)

  • Thanks for the great recipe. I have issues with Free-Glutamates and MSG. My peel looks fab and tastes lovely can't wait to put in in my Christmas Cake.

    Posted by Jacqueline, 21/11/2012 7:03am (6 months ago)

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