How to Use Sugar to Preserve Citrus Fruits
Preserving citrus fruit with sugar is a process that you can do at home to create a pretty garnish, tasty snack or ingredient for baking. Citrus is the easiest fruit to preserve in this manner and will last for weeks if stored in the correct container. Avoid using grapefruit because it turns out bitter, and do not use fruits with a lot of seeds. You can also soak the preserved fruit in alcohol after the process to intensify the flavor, such as orange slices in Grand Marnier. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Citrus fruit, approximately 1 pound
- Knife
- Water
- White sugar
- Wide, shallow pan
- Slotted spoon or tongs
- Drying rack
- Wax paper
- Airtight container
Instructions
-
-
1
Wash and scrub the fruit thoroughly to remove any surface dirt. Cut the citrus fruit into 1/2-inch slices trying to keep them a uniform width.
-
2
Combine 2 pounds of sugar with 1 quart of water in the pan and cook on low heat, stirring, until dissolved.
-
-
3
Increase heat to bring sugar syrup just to a boil and remove from heat.
-
4
Carefully place citrus slices in pan with little overlap. Put the pan back on the heat and bring syrup to a gentle simmer
-
5
Simmer 10 to 15 minutes, watching to make sure the syrup does not boil.
-
6
Remove the pan from heat and leave the fruit in the covered pan at room temperature for at least 24 hours.
-
7
With a slotted spoon or tongs remove cooled fruit and transfer to a rack. Blot excess liquid from slices and let them dry for five or more hours until the citrus fruit is hard and dry.
-
8
Transfer sugar preserved citrus fruit to an airtight container lined with wax paper. Make sure to layer the fruit in the waxed paper as well to avoid it sticking together.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Citrus fruit can also be transferred to sterilized glass jars after being cooled in syrup. Simply spoon finished slices into jars and pour syrup over and seal.
Citrus peel that has been cut into thin strips takes less time to preserve with sugar but needs to be blanched in boiling water before putting it in sugar syrup.
Make sure you purchase organic or untreated citrus fruit if you are using the peel.
The concentration of sugar and water should be carefully measured, and the speed at which it simmers kept to a minimum or the fruit will not turn out correctly.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
