Preserve Lemons Four Ways

Ingredients

• 6 pieces Lemon (medium, organic if possible; washed and dried)
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar (for simple syrup)
• 0.5 cup Granulated Sugar (for tossing candied peel after drying)
• 1 cup Water (for simple syrup)
• 4 cups Water (for boiling lemon peels to remove bitterness)

Instructions

1. Wash and Prepare Lemons

   Rinse the lemons under cold water, pat dry, and set aside.

   Time: PT5M

2. Peel and Trim Pith

   Using a vegetable peeler, remove the outer zest in long strips, then use a paring knife to carefully cut away the white pith to avoid bitterness.

   Time: PT10M

3. Slice Peels

   Slice the zest strips into thin ribbons about 1‑2 mm thick.

   Time: PT5M

4. Dehydrate Lemon Zest

   Preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the lemon ribbons in a single layer. Bake for 2‑3 hours, turning once, until completely crisp.

   Time: PT3H

   Temperature: 200°F

5. Boil Peels to Remove Bitterness

   Place the sliced peels in a pot with 4 cups of water. Bring to a rolling boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

6. Drain and Set Aside Peels

   Using a fine mesh strainer, drain the peels and set them aside on a clean plate.

   Time: PT2M

7. Make Lemon Simple Syrup

   In a saucepan combine 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar. Add the boiled peels, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until the syrup is slightly thick and the peels become translucent.

   Time: PT10M

8. Dry Candied Peels

   Remove the peels from the syrup with tongs and spread them on parchment paper. Let them air‑dry for about 30 minutes until tacky but not wet.

   Time: PT30M

9. Sugar Coat Candied Peels

   Toss the tacky peels in the remaining ½ cup of granulated sugar until fully coated. Shake off excess sugar.

   Time: PT5M

10. Store Lemon Simple Syrup

    Pour the hot syrup (without the peels) into a clean jar, let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.

    Time: PT15M

11. Juice Remaining Lemons and Freeze

    Squeeze the remaining lemon flesh to extract juice. Pour the juice into an ice‑cube tray and freeze for at least 4 hours.

    Time: PT5M

12. Cleanup

    Wash all used utensils, bowls, and pans; wipe down the work surface.

    Time: PT20M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

210

Protein

1 g

Carbohydrates

55 g

Fat

0 g

Fiber

2 g