Candied Pummelo Peel

August 14, 2020

Candied Pummelo Peel

Pummelos are the largest of the citrus fruits, the great-granddaddy of the grapefruit we’ve come to know and love in North America. The fruit is sweet and delicious in salads or other dishes, but what to do with that lovely thick skin? In Vietnam and elsewhere in Asia, candied pummelo peel is a delicacy.

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Course Dessert, Side Dish

Ingredients

2 pummelos
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup superfine sugar OR
4 ounces semisweet chocolate

Instructions

Day before:

Wash the pummelos and scrub the skin thoroughly.
Cut about 1/2-inch from both ends of the pummelos.
Now, using a very sharp knife, make cuts through the skin and pith lengthwise from end to end - so that you end up with strips of pith lengthwise. Peel off the skin carefully, and reserve the fruit to enjoy another time.
Once you have peeled it off, you can cut the skin into thinner strips if you wish. If there is a lot of pith (more than 1/4-inch) you will want to trim that as well.
Place the strips of peel in a large bowl or pan and cover completely with water. Leave in the fridge overnight.

The next day:

Drain the peels and discard the water. Now, add the peels to a large skillet and cover with water. Bring to a boil for about 1 minute, and then drain and discard the water again. This step reduces any bitterness.
In a large skillet, combine the 2 cups sugar and 1 1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil over a medium setting, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the peels to the pan in a single layer, and reduce the heat to a simmer.
Allow the peels to cook for 35 to 50 minutes. They should be very soft, and glassy in appearance.
Using tongs, remove the peels from the pan and place them on a rack to cool for about an hour. They should feel somewhat tacky still.
You can finish them in one of two ways - or half and half. Add the superfine sugar to a bowl, and toss the peels to coat.
You can also melt the semisweet chocolate in a double boiler, and then dip the peels into it.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge, and consume within 7 days.