Candied Lemon Slices
If you're looking for a quick and easy recipe for candied lemon slices, you're in the right place! You need only three basic ingredients to make these beautiful, oven dried candied lemon slices. This sweet and tangy treat is perfect for cake decoration or snacking.
Servings: 6
Calories: 267kcal
Ingredients
- 2 lemons firm with thick peels
- 2 cups filtered water plus extra for blanching
- 2 cups granulated sugar plus extra for rolling
Instructions
- Wash Lemons: Remove any wax or pesticide residue from the lemons by scrubbing them with a little dish soap and rinsing thoroughly under warm water.
- Slice: Cut off the ends of the lemon, then cut the lemon crosswise in 1 cm slices. Do not slice them thinly, or they may fall apart during the cooking process.
- Blanch: Fill a Dutch oven with two inches of water, then bring to a rolling boil. Remove it from the heat, add the lemon slices, and stir gently. Allow the slices to sit in the hot water for 1 minute, then immediately drain with a skimmer and place in a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking.
- Simple Syrup: Discard the blanching liquid and rinse out the pot. Pour the filtered water and granulated sugar into the pot and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring the syrup to a simmer.
- Simmer: Add the lemon slices, making sure they are not overlapping, and cover and simmer gently on low heat for 1 hour. Be sure not to boil, or the fragile flesh of the lemons may disintegrate. The peels should be soft and translucent.
- Dry: Spread the candied lemon slices on a wire rack and set over a cookie sheet to catch any drips of syrup. Air dry at room temperature for 1-3 days, or bake them at a low temperature (175-180°F) for 2 hours, or until tacky to the touch.
- Serve: Roll the candied lemon slices in extra granulated sugar to reduce tackiness and for a pretty frosted look. Cool completely on the wire racks, then store in an airtight container until ready to use. Serve as a garnish on cakes, cupcakes, or sweet loaf breads, or enjoy as a candy.
Notes
- Use lemons that have a thicker peel and that aren't soft or overripe. These will hold their shape better during the cooking process.
- Slice the lemons to about 1 cm thickness. Thinner slices than this will fall apart.
- Blanching the lemon slices in just-boiled water for 1 minute removes the bitterness from the white pith.
- Be sure to simmer the slices gently in the simple syrup, or the fragile flesh will disintegrate, leaving behind only the peel.
- Keep the lemon-flavored simple syrup and use it in Arnold Palmers, frosted lemonade, or drinks like this Cinderella mocktail or make a slushie with orange juice and carbonated lime water.
Nutrition
Serving: 2slices | Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 67g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.3mg
