I've always loved the thought of an old fashioned Christmas. The kind of holiday where many gifts are handmade or homemade with thoughtfulness in mind. And although, I always make homemade treats for family and friends...the past few years I've been more in the habit of picking up gift cards in an effort to save time.
So this year, I decided to plan ahead. That's the main reason I'm in a mad rush...no planning. One way, is that I've been inspired by so many great cookbooks, and have gathered a few new recipes to try. The first one is Candied Citrus Peel from the book The Art of Preserving.
The candied citrus peel is a great accompaniment to hot tea or as a topping or mix-in for ice cream. It's also a lovely addition to a cocktail bar or holiday dessert buffet. And the recipe was very simple and easy to make! I won't post the entire recipe as it's copyrighted and certainly doesn't belong to me. You can easily find other various recipes on the internet here.
But I highly recommend The Art of Preserving as it has so many yummy recipes for jams, butters, pickles and chutneys!
The first step is to wash your fruit (I used 1 grapefruit, 1 lemon and 2 oranges). Then peel and slice the skins into 1/4" strips.
The peels are cooked in water for about 40-45 minutes to soften them. Once drained, they are cooked again in a sugar and water mixture for another 30-35 minutes.
Next you toss them in superfine sugar to coat. This is the best part!
They are then spread on waxed paper to dry. Once they are set, you can begin filling your jars or layer them between parchment or waxed paper in a beautiful box or cellophane bag.
I used the small Weck canning jars and plan on tucking them into gift baskets this year along with some other treats and goodies.
There are several other recipes I'd like to try in the Art of Preserving...like Plum Butter, Blueberry Syrup and Cherry Preserves. They all sound simply delicious!
What treats are you making for friends and family this holiday season?
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