When life gives you lemons, make lemonade! But what do you do with those lemon peels when you’re finished squeezing them into a refreshing drink? If you’ve ever accidentally taken a bite out of a lemon peel, you probably remember how bitter it tastes. But with a couple of ingredients and a little time, you can make candied lemon peel that will add a taste of sweet sunshine to your plate or even as a finishing touch to your drink.
According to Allrecipes.com, you just need the same ingredients as you would for traditional lemonade: water, sugar and lemons. In fact, you could make a pitcher of summer’s favorite drink and then make some candied lemon peel.
While the recipe for candied lemon peel is simple, there is some time commitment involved in getting the perfect flavor and texture. In order to get the bitterness out of the peel, you will need to boil the pieces multiple times and each time must start with fresh water. That’s to remove any bitterness that the boiling water extracts.
Once the boiling is finished, you’ll make a simple syrup out of water and sugar. Be patient with the mixture until it starts to thicken, then add the cut-up lemon peels. During this second simmer, the peels will absorb the syrup’s sweetness and start to soften up to an edible texture.
The final step might be the most difficult of all because it requires waiting to eat the candied peels. The peels need to dry for 24 hours to get that slightly chewy yet crunchy texture. Make sure to shake them in a little extra sugar to make them irresistible!
You can also apply this recipe to other citrus fruits, including oranges.
Beyond eating the candied lemon peel on its own, you can use it as an edible garnish for drinks and desserts. Imagine sprinkling these over Ina Garten’s Lemon Yogurt Cake for dessert that not only looks beautiful but also tastes of lemony goodness from top to bottom!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories.
