Candied Lemon, Orange or Grapefruit Peel

Pungent citrus peels, softened by simmering in syrup, then dried with a thin, crisp coating of granulated sugar. A fruity, bittersweet confection that can hold its own with a strong after dinner coffee. And think how virtuous you'll feel that you transformed otherwise wasted peels into such a delicacy.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Yields: 1 lb

Ingredients

• 6  lemons or 2  grapefruits or 4  oranges
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1 1⁄2 cups water
• 6  tablespoons light corn syrup
•  sugar or   superfine sugar, for coating

Directions

1. With sharp knife, score the skin of the fruit (use only one type for a batch) into quarters,then peel it off with your fingers, keeping the pith attached.
2. Lay each quarter of skin on a cutting board and cut to make uniform strips from 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide, according to your preference; you should have about 3 cups of strips.
3. Cover peels with water in saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute,then drain, cover with water again and repeat two times (total of three times).
4. Then, cover again and simmer the peel for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
5. In the saucepan, make the syrup with sugar, water and corn syrup. Boil for about two minutes, then add the peel.
6. Simmer briskly stirring occasionally, until the syrup is considerably reduced, then watch closely.
7. The point of decision:
8. If you want a tender candied peel, cook until perhaps 3 tbsp syrup is left, and drain the peels (you can save the syrup).
9. Medium-firm, leave only a spoonful of syrup, then drain.
10. For candy-like crisp peel, watch closely until the syrup is on the point of hardening and has almost vanished.
11. Arrange the peel on a bed of sugar on a jelly roll pan at whatever stage you have stopped cooking. Straiten the strips while hot if you want them symmetrical, or crumble them if you like a kinky tangle.
12. Sprinkle more sugar over the strips and toss them occasionally as they cool.
13. When cool enough to handle, put the strips onto cake racks and let them dry. The consistency of the finished candy will depend partly on the point at which the cooking stopped, but also on how long the strips are left to dry. They will keep indefinitely if candied 'hard'; not quite as long if left translucent and flexible. The choice is yours.