Started making my own candied peel years ago after reading the ingredients in the overpriced packaged ones. (Same for candied cherries and pineapple-- why buy? Check-out KA recipes for these, also). I'll save peel strips (I keep them as wide and long as possible) for about a week (I submerge in water and keep covered in the fridge), then make a large batch. My method is almost identical to the one given in the blog. After the final cooking, I let the peels sit in the syrup (covered) overnight; then gently reheat the next day, drain, sugar and dry. Give a final sugaring when cool. Once dried and generously-sugared, they keep for months in a closed jar in the fridge. Save and refrigerate the final sugar syrup the peels cooked in; I use for making rhubarb sauce (1 cup syrup for 4 cups frozen or fresh rhubarb; no additional sugar). Also gives a citrusy-lift to cranberry sauce; use in place of water and sugar when cooking fresh cranberries. The peels go in Christmas Cake, fruitcake, homemade mincemeat and chopped fine and added to sugar cookies and Easter biscuits. I use thin strips of peel to top a frosted pound cake. And they're great for eating as candy.

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