Stained-Glass Citrus Slices

In case you live under a rock, winter means citrus season. Despite the months being colder, this time of year breeds the juiciest, zestiest, and most colorful lemons, limes, oranges, and kumquats. They make the best marinades, dressings, salads, and snacks, but my favorite way to use them in to coat them in sugar to make a chewy, extra sweet, and very beautiful garnish.

Stained-Glass Citrus Slices

• Prep Time:20 mins
• Cook Time:20 mins
• Total Time:40 mins
• Servings:6
• Medium

Ingredients

• 1 lemon washed and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
• 1 Sumo orange washed and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
• water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• Step 1

  Put a sauce pot filled with a few cups of water on the stove over high heat. Prepare an ice bath. Once the water boils, add in the citrus slices and boil for two to three minutes. Remove and place in an ice bath to cool. This helps to draw out the bitterness from the peels.

  

• Step 2

  Empty and clean the sauce pot, and fill with three cups of water. Add in the sugar and stir just once. Place over medium-high heat until it boils. Let it boil for five minutes or until a candy thermometer reached 225°.

  

• Step 3

  In the meantime, prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Place a cooling rack over it. Once the sugar water mixture is ready, add in the citrus slices and cook for five minutes. The bigger citrus like oranges can cook for up to 10 minutes. Remove from water, and place on wire rack to cool.

  

• Step 4

  Continue to boil the sugar-water for five minutes, until the bubbles get big and rise to the top of the pan. Remove from heat and brush on the citrus slices about five times, letting each layer cool for one minute in between. Let slices cool and harden for at least one hour.