Candied citrus peel, leftover syrup

[cteavin]

I had a freezer full of grapefruit, lemon and orange peel so I made three separate batches of candied peel over the week. The peels come out perfectly. I'll be dipping the orange and lemon into tempered chocolates later in the week and I'll baste half the grapefruit peel in honey and roll them in roasted walnuts. I love peel. What I don't love is all the leftover syrup.

With the orange syrup I know I can heat it up and make some Italian meringue but the lemon peel syrup more astringent than I expected. I boiled the grapefruit in honey. It's not that bitter but I'm not sure what to do with that. Any suggestions for the lemon and grapefruit syrups? Also, do you think I can make meringue cookies from the orange syrup? I haven't researched that possibility, yet.

[Darienne]

Hi cteavin,

This has been covered to some extent on other related topics a couple of years ago. I know...I asked the same questions. Got a few answers...sauces, drinks, on ice cream...can't remember much today.

However, what I finally did is just throw most of it out. Held my nose and dumped it. We simply don't live a life that will encompass that much syrup, no matter how delicious.

Sorry. That's not what you wanted to hear.

[CanadianBakin']

What's the best way to store the peels? I made up some lemon and kept it airtight in the fridge but I don't think that was the best approach.

[Darienne]

Andie is the resident Ginger Lady and can give you the last word on it all.

I keep my peels in airtight containers and not in the fridge. So far, so good.

[cteavin]

What I don't do is coat them in sugar. Not my thing.

If I'm just dealing with peels, after they come out of the syrup I let them air dry a day or two then wrap them up in plastic wrap and keep them in an airtight zip-lock bag.

My favorite way for orange or lemon is to dip in tempered chocolate and keep them in a tin outside the fridge. However, if I brush them in honey and then roll them in nuts back to plastic wrap. Also, I have soaked them in liquor till they're moist again, too. Those I keep in a tupperwear box. I never put these kinds of sweets in the fridge and I've never had spoilage.

I don't know about the ginger lady (I adore candied ginger, too!) but I keep mine in the syrup. I find it holds up better than the peels.

Throw it away! (sigh)

Guess I have a project for the weekend. I was thinking of making a variation of a genoise using the syrup in place of the sugar in the intial mixing. I then wondered if I could turn it into a caramel sauce. One thing I know from the past is that if you heat it to about 290 you'll destroy the impurities and get just a plain ol' syrup. I've got to find a happy medium.

[andiesenji]

Do not throw it away. There are many ways to use it.

You can dilute it and use it to poach fruit - especially slightly underripe pears or peaches.

If you don't have any on hand, find a source for vinegar with the "mother" and mix the syrup with it and allow it to "work" for a couple of months. (to a quart of "raw" apple cider vinegar add a cup of the syrup) You will have what is essentially an infused or flavored vinegar and you can keep it going by adding wine or more syrup as it matures.

You can "candy" various nuts in the syrup - as well as other dried fruits - I suggest you steam them first to plump them a bit.

Salad dressing and marinades and the stuff keeps practically forever if bottled or jarred in sterilized containers kept at room temp.

You can also make "rock" candy with it - there is another thread about this but there are many web sites with the instructions of how to prepare so these big crystals will form on wood skewers or on kitchen twine.

I abhor waste in any form.

[Darienne]

Well, cteavin and Andie, you are both correct. And I have been wasteful. I guess after keeping a number of containers of sugar syrup around for what seemed like a long time, I just gave up and disposed of them.

Didn't realize that they would keep almost forever. Should have known. Like jam or honey.

OK. Won't do it again. I promise.

[judiu]

I had a freezer full of grapefruit, lemon and orange peel so I made three separate batches of candied peel over the week. The peels come out perfectly. I'll be dipping the orange and lemon into tempered chocolates later in the week and I'll baste half the grapefruit peel in honey and roll them in roasted walnuts. I love peel. What I don't love is all the leftover syrup.

With the orange syrup I know I can heat it up and make some Italian meringue but the lemon peel syrup more astringent than I expected. I boiled the grapefruit in honey. It's not that bitter but I'm not sure what to do with that. Any suggestions for the lemon and grapefruit syrups? Also, do you think I can make meringue cookies from the orange syrup? I haven't researched that possibility, yet.

Perhaps use them as an igredient in various cocktails? I could imagine the lemon one in a tart drink, like a collins, especially with the bitter element to it. HTH!

[cteavin]

@ andie, that's a great idea about candy-ing dried fruits and nuts. I'll give that a go this weekend along with meringue cookies. I'm thinking that rock candy won't work with this kind of syrup because the acid from the peels would have inverted it. It's worth checking out.

@judiu, cocktails is a great idea. I wish I drank more.

I really dislike waste, too. There's a trend here in Japan I like. It's called "Eco Cooking" where the goal is to find a use for everything you use. For those who can, that includes compost piles but for most of us it's looking for creative ways to use the parts we throw away, for example the leftover vegetables from soup stock or the peels shaved off (organic) vegetables. An extension of this 'movement' is buying local foods in season. I really like the challenge and have come up with some creative ways to use things.

[andiesenji]

There is another solution to your "problem."

If you cook the syrup longer and do stir it when it gets to the hardball stage, pour it out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and drag a fork or similar utensil through it from time to time while it cools. It will form crystals, get grainy and if left long enough - usually takes a few days, will turn opaque and look like solid sugar.

Allow it to dry until it feels dry and brittle. Break it up and grind it and you will have a flavored sugar. I have a quart each of orange sugar and ginger sugar that I have made this way.

One of my friends loves the ginger sugar in her tea so from time to time I pass along a pint jar to her. (I candy ginger in quite large batches - usually fifteen pounds or so. This leaves a lot of syrup!)

I put the pans in my Excalibur dehydrator to speed up the drying process but it works at room temp also.

As I mentioned earlier, I'm thrifty or frugal - I was born in '39 at the end of the Great Depression and my earliest memories are of the extreme thrift practiced during WWII. Nothing ever wasted if at all possible. It's very difficult for me to dispose of any type of edibles.

Edited April 1, 2010 by andiesenji (log)

[Darienne]

There is another solution to your "problem."

If you cook the syrup longer and do stir it when it gets to the hardball stage, pour it out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and drag a fork or similar utensil through it from time to time while it cools. It will form crystals, get grainy and if left long enough - usually takes a few days, will turn opaque and look like solid sugar.

Allow it to dry until it feels dry and brittle. Break it up and grind it and you will have a flavored sugar.

Now this BRILLIANT! I don't normally toss things...am feeling very guilty about throwing away the syrups...but we don't drink cocktaily things and don't have syrup on ice cream and so on and what on earth could I do with all that syrup? I've even made candies...which we can't eat more than one or two. But! flavored sugar! Not only could we use it, but what a lovely gift to give to friends!!! Andie, you have done it again!!

[andiesenji]

I wouldn't describe it as brilliant but it is useful.

The funny part of this process is that you are doing what one is always advised NOT to do when cooking a sugar syrup.

There are always specific instructions to brush the sides of the sugar pan with a wet brush to prevent the formation of crystals and to avoid stirring after a certain temp is reached.

To do all the wrong things and get a positive result is, in my opinion, a culinary triumph.

[cteavin]

@ ande, that is a great idea. Have you ever 'seeded' the solution with sugar to speed up the process?

I'm going to do that with the orange sugar this evening and make an italian meringue with the lemon. If I have enough, I might make a sample daquoise to see how it tastes. I'm my minds pallet the combination of sweet with that bitterness leftover from the peel should balance nicely.

[tmriga]

I use the leftover syrup to make liqueurs. I cook it down to about half the quantity, then add an equal amount of vodka.

Theresa

[Darienne]

I use the leftover syrup to make liqueurs. I cook it down to about half the quantity, then add an equal amount of vodka.

Theresa

How long would it take to cook it down roughly...assuming you have four or five cups...and you would have to be careful not to let it get very hot?? or you would get candy???

[Tom Gengo]

Here is another use. Use it as the sweetener in a brine. I use brines extensively for poultry and pork. My base recipe is 6 cups of liquid (water, apple cider, orange or pineapple juice, etc.) brought to a boil w/ whole spices of choice (black peppercorns, cloves, star anise, allspice...), bay leaf and garlic bulbs cut parallel to the root. Also sometimes use ginger root or candied ginger. Add 1/2 cup of kosher salt and 1 cup of sweetener (honey, sugar, brown sugar...) and 1/2 cup of molasses. I would cut back 1 cup of liquid, skip the sweetener and replace w/ your flavored sugar. Hmmm, have some ginger syrup (from making candied ginger) and pomegranate syrup in the "vault."

After the dry additions have dissolved, let it cool to room temp and then refrigerate. Rinse your meat, submerge in the brine and voila, citrus flavored dinner.

Edited April 5, 2010 by Tom Gengo (log)

[andiesenji]

Interesting use Tom.

Yesterday morning I decided to start a pot of baked beans and instead of the usual molasses, I used some ginger syrup. I was away much of the day and when I returned the kitchen had a lovely aroma.

I don't plan to have the beans as part of a meal until this evening but I did taste them last night and the flavor was wonderful. The ginger flavor did not mask the flavor of the beans (and bacon) but did enhance the flavor of the dish.

[Darienne]

The last two posts have given me hope...now all I need is some specific ideas.

DH does not like ginger candy, not even dipped in chocolate. However, he likes the ginger which I add to any Chinese dish which calls for it, like Orange Beef, Mapodofu...just about any Szechwan recipe you could name.

Now what dishes could I use ginger syrup in? I don't mean just Chinese...I usually leave out all sugar in our Chinese dishes...but in the cooking of other cultures?

Can you substitute say, ginger or orange syrup for something in an ice cream recipe or a coffee cake or muffin?

[andiesenji]

Now what dishes could I use ginger syrup in? I don't mean just Chinese...I usually leave out all sugar in our Chinese dishes...but in the cooking of other cultures?

Can you substitute say, ginger or orange syrup for something in an ice cream recipe or a coffee cake or muffin?

I add flavored syrups to Moroccan dishes made with chicken or lamb - although I'm not a big fan of lamb - I do use goat or kid, which is readily available at the local Mexican markets.

I use both the ginger and orange syrup in any recipe made with duck or goose, particularly the wild ones as it mitigates some of the gamy flavors.

You can use them in any baked product - use less water. I generally mix all the dry ingredients together (without the sugar), then beat the eggs with half the water or milk and substitute the syrup for the other half of the liquid then add this mixture to the dry ingredients.

You may have to adjust the baking time - I always test anyway, using the probe of my Thermapen as I can see if there is any unbaked center and also can see the inner temp - should be 190 to 200 F. when done and the probe should appear clean.

If a recipe calls for molasses, substitute equal parts syrup. Cookies are perfect as an experiment.

[Darienne]

You may have to adjust the baking time - I always test anyway, using the probe of my Thermapen as I can see if there is any unbaked center and also can see the inner temp - should be 190 to 200 F. when done and the probe should appear clean.

If a recipe calls for molasses, substitute equal parts syrup. Cookies are perfect as an experiment.

Duck, goose, goat...they are all out. Not in Peterpatch. DH won't eat lamb as such.

I'll try the baking idea...but now I need to get me a Thermapen. Although I could use my thermometer with the long metal probe, couldn't I?

[DanM]

I cook the syrup down a bit and use it on pancakes in the morning.

Dan

[Darienne]

Great fun re-reading this topic.

And I have just used some orange syrup made over a year ago in a way I would never have thought of.

I made this banana-peanut butter recipe a few days ago and the muffins were both dry and not exactly winners. What to do? Found a tip online to poke holes in the muffin tops and brush them repeatedly with a simple syrup (or in my case, an orange syrup). So pleased.

And now that I have re-found Andie's wonderful suggestion about flavored sugar, I think that's what I shall do right now. Thanks as always, Andie.

[minas6907]

Too much citrus syrup isnt a problem if you enjoy sorbets. I'd adjust the syrup to 16 degree baume, perhaps add a orange liquor or something else that will compliment the flavor, and microplane some zest, and you got a perfect sorbet.

Could make your own citrus sodas as well, the grapefruit sounds especially good.

[Lisa Shock]

If you make flavored sugar, you could use it in a batch of toast dope.

[minas6907]

Whats toast dope?