I have two sweet, actually I should say short and sweet, recipes to share with you today friends! I’m still working through my bounty of Meyer lemons that were gifted to me by a co-worker. For the final handful, I made Meyer Lemons, two ways – as candied lemon peel and as dried lemon slices. I love dried lemon slices to add a bit of color and pizazz to many dishes – everything from tea to roasted meat dishes to salads.
This Meyer lemon candy recipe for sugared lemon peel actually makes me think of my grandfather. He was a hardworking man, a country man who worked on the farm until shortly before he died. He would always keep a bag of lemon drop candies in the front seat of his pick-up and I can’t eat lemon candy even today without thinking of those rides to the farm to feed the horses.
Get the recipes after the jump!
Candied Lemon Peel & Dried Lemon Slices
Ingredients
[b]Candied Lemon Peel[/b]
- Lemons
- 2 c. Water
- 1 1/2 c. Sugar, plus extra for finishing
[b]Dried Lemon Slices[/b]
- Lemons, as many as your heart desires
Instructions
[i]To Make the Candied Lemon Peels[/i]
- To peel the lemons, cut off the thick ends on both sides of your lemon. Make a lengthwise slice and gently remove the peel from the lemon, keeping it in one piece if possible. Flatten your peel on the counter and use a spoon to gently scrape away the bitter pith from the peel.
- Slice the peel into approximately 1/2 inch wide strips.
- Boil the peel in a pan filled with an inch or two of water for approximately 15 minutes to remove the bitterness. Drain.
- Stir the sugar and the water in a medium saucepan on medium high heat until dissolved. Add the lemon slices and simmer covered for 40 minutes.
- Lift the peels out with a fork or slotted spoon and let cool on a wire rack.
- Once cooled, roll the peels in granulated sugar or dip in melted chocolate.
[i]To make the dried lemon slices[/i]
- Slice your lemons into paper thin rounds. To make it easier, you can put them in the fridge for a few hours before slicing.
- Place them on a wire cooling rack, then place this on a baking sheet. Bake at 170F for 4 hours, flipping every hour or so. Once the time is up, turn off the oven and let them sit in the oven overnight to firm up. Store in an airtight container.
Hello, what is the shelf life on these and can they be stored in the cupboard and/or fridge? Thanks.
Hi Melissa – It’s important to keep them in a cool, dark place. I store them in my drawer where I keep me tea. I think the fridge would be fine too as long as the container is air-tight so they won’t absorb smells. They should last for weeks!
Greetings!
Is it possible to candy lemon slices? Our “TraderJoe’s” sells Sweetened Dried Lemon Slices” in a 125 g package. They are delish!
Thanks!
I definitely think it’s possible but you might need more sugar!
Thanks for your quick response. I will give it a go & let you know how it went.
Awesome! Good luck!
Kelly