Mary Berry Candied Peel Recipe

This Mary Berry Candied Peel Recipe is a sweet and zesty recipe, which features thick strips of citrus rind and a crunchy sugar coating. It’s a festive pantry staple, ready in about 1 hour and 30 minutes (plus drying time).

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Mary Berry Candied Peel Recipe Ingredients

• 3 large oranges (or lemons, grapefruits, limes)
• 2 cups granulated sugar (plus extra for coating)
• 1 cup water

How To Make Mary Berry Candied Peel Recipe

1. Prepare the peel: Thoroughly wash and scrub the oranges (organic is best to avoid wax). Slice off both ends of the fruit. Score the peel vertically into 4 segments and peel it off the flesh. Save the fruit for juicing or eating.
2. Slice: Slice the peel segments into strips about 1/4 inch wide. Tip: While the white pith is bitter, blanching removes this bitterness. If you remove too much pith, the candied peel will be hard and leathery; keeping some pith ensures a tender bite.
3. Blanch the peel: Place the sliced peels in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Drain in a colander, rinse, and return to the pot. Cover with fresh water and boil again. Repeat this blanching process a total of 2-3 times to remove the bitterness. Drain well.
4. Make the syrup: In the same pot, combine the 1 cup of fresh water and 2 cups of sugar. Bring to a boil and cook for a couple of minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved.
5. Simmer: Add the blanched citrus peels to the sugar syrup. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 45-60 minutes. The peels should become translucent, and the syrup should reduce to a thick, bubbly consistency (soft ball stage, approx. 235°F).
6. Coat: Use a slotted spoon to remove a few peels at a time, letting the excess syrup drip off. Immediately toss the hot, sticky peels in a bowl of fine granulated sugar until fully coated.
7. Dry: Spread the sugar-coated peels on a wire rack. Let them cool and dry completely at room temperature for 1-2 days until they are no longer sticky.

Recipe Tips

• The Pith is Key: Contrary to popular belief, you need the pith for candied peel. The blanching process removes the bitterness, and the pith absorbs the sugar syrup, becoming like a jelly candy. Without it, you just have tough skin.
• Leftover Syrup: Don’t throw away the leftover citrus syrup! It is essentially a rich simple syrup perfect for cocktails, drizzling over cakes, or stirring into tea.
• Drying Time: Humidity affects drying. If it is very humid, the peels may take longer to dry. You can speed this up by placing them in a very low oven (warm setting) with the door ajar for an hour.
• Chocolate Dipped: For a luxurious treat, dip one end (or the whole strip) of the dried peel into melted dark chocolate and let it set on parchment paper.

What To Serve With Mary Berry Candied Peel

Candied peel is a versatile ingredient and a sweet treat on its own.

• Fruit Cake: Essential for Simnel cake or Christmas cake.
• Florentines: A key ingredient in these chocolate biscuits.
• Hot Cross Buns: Adds texture and flavor.
• Garnish: Use to decorate cupcakes or cocktails.

How To Store Mary Berry Candied Peel Recipe

• Airtight Container: Once fully dried, store the peel in an airtight jar or container in a cool, dark place. It will keep for at least 1 month.
• Refrigerate: It keeps even longer in the fridge, especially in warm climates.
• Freeze: Place the peels in a freezer bag. They freeze beautifully for several months and can be used straight from frozen for baking.

Mary Berry Candied Peel Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 60
• Total Fat: 0g
• Saturated Fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 0mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 15g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 14g
• Protein: 0g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving (approx. 1 oz).

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Coconut Loaf Cake Recipe​
• Mary Berry Small Christmas Cake Recipe 6 Inch
• Mary Berry Gluten Free Christmas Cake​ Recipe