Candied Grapefruit Peel with Dark Chocolate
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Dipped in dark chocolate and coated in crunchy sugar, this candied grapefruit peel will keep well at room temperature for several weeks, making it a lovely garnish or edible homemade gift. And while this recipe is somewhat time-consuming, it’s actually very easy. The hardest part is waiting for the grapefruit peels to dry before taste-testing!
Key Ingredients
- Grapefruit – You can candy the peels of red, white, or pink grapefruit, or a mix of different varieties. Before getting started, take time to thoroughly wash and dry the fruit to remove any traces of dirt or debris. Also, don’t forget to remove the produce stickers from the grapefruit! They’re easy to miss, so take time to double check. You won’t need the fruit for this recipe, so save it to make my citrus salad, or turn it into homemade grapefruit curd.
- Granulated Sugar – While I often use granulated sugar and caster sugar interchangeably in my recipes, for this one you must use granulated. The delicate grains of caster or superfine sugar are too fine to create the crunchy exterior coating; to achieve this, larger grains of granulated sugar are an absolute must.
- Chocolate – I dipped my candied grapefruit rinds in tempered dark chocolate; milk chocolate also pairs nicely with the bittersweet notes of the candied peel. Select a high-quality couverture rather chocolate chips meant for baking. Good-tasting (and properly tempered) chocolate makes all the difference in this simple recipe. If you aren’t familiar with tempering, you can dip the peels in melted candy wafers (confectionery coating) which are formulated to set without tempering, or omit the chocolate altogether.
Tips and Tricks
- Peel the grapefruit in large, even pieces. If the pieces are too small or jagged, they will be difficult to slice into strips. You can slice the peels as wide or narrow as you’d like. I’d caution against making them too skinny, however, or they may fall apart during the candying process. For grapefruit I like to slice the peels around 1/2-inch – 3/4-inch wide.
- Allow the peels to dry thoroughly. Make sure the peels are completely dry before transferring to an airtight container for storage. If they still contain traces of moisture, they will mold quickly.
- Plan your timeline accordingly. Keep in mind that the wider you slice your grapefruit peel, the longer it will take to dry. Very thin (1/4-inch) strips will dry in as little as 4-8 hours; wider strips may take 2-3 days. For extremely wide strips, I recommend going with this quick-dry method.
- Employ a citrus peeler. I usually use a sharp paring knife to peel the grapefruit, but if you find this tricky, you can use a citrus peeler to make the process easier.
Candied Grapefruit Peel
- Total Time2 hours (+ drying time)
- Yield20 1-inch wide strips 1x
An easy recipe for making candied grapefruit peels dipped in dark chocolate. This recipe works with orange, lime, or lemon peels, too!
Ingredients
2 large grapefruit
500 grams granulated sugar (2 1/2 cups, divided)
480 milliliters water (2 cups)
Good-quality dark chocolate couverture, for dipping, optional
Instructions
Candied Grapefruit Peels:
Thoroughly wash and dry each grapefruit.
With a sharp chef’s knife, remove the ends of each grapefruit.
Carefully remove the peel from each fruit. Try to remove it in halves if possible.
Slice grapefruit peels into 1/2-inch – 1-inch strips, or as wide/narrow as desired.*
Add sliced grapefruit peels to a medium saucepan.
Fill pot with water, completely covering the peels.
Bring to a rolling boil. Boil, without stirring, for 15 minutes.
Pass through a fine mesh strainer. Rinse peels thoroughly with cool water.
In a medium saucepan, bring 400 grams (2 cups) sugar and 480 milliliters (2 cups) water to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Add the blanched grapefruit peels. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
While peels simmer, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
Pass through a fine mesh strainer. Discard the sugary syrup, or save it for cocktails.
With kitchen tongs, transfer peels to prepared tray.
Toss in remaining sugar.
Allow to sit at room temperature, uncovered, for 1-3 days or until dry.**
Dipping the Dried Peels (optional):
Melt and temper dark chocolate couverture, or melt confectionery coating in a microwave-safe bowl.
Working 1 candied peel at a time, dip tops in tempered chocolate. Arrange on a clean sheet of parchment or a silicone baking mat. Allow to sit, uncovered, until chocolate sets.
Store candied peels in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month. Do not refrigerate.
Notes
* You can slice the peels as wide or narrow as you’d like. I’d caution against making them too skinny, however, or they may fall apart during the candying process. Also, remember that the wider the strips, the longer they will take to dry.
**The air-drying portion of this recipe will take 2-3 days. Be sure to plan ahead! To speed the process along, see my candied orange peel recipe for a quick-dry oven method.
All drying times are approximate. Temperature, humidity, slice size, rind thickness, and draining method will all affect the drying time required before your grapefruit peels are ready to eat.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Drying Time: 1-3 Days
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Candy and Confectionery
- Method: Stovetop
How to Use Candied Grapefruit Peels
Once you learn how to make candied grapefruit peels, the possibilities for using them are endless. They work nicely as a mix-in to cakes, cookies, chocolate bars, and ganaches; as a garnish for desserts; or dipped in dark chocolate, as I’ve done here.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
Plan ahead. Drying the grapefruit rind (a must to achieve the signature crunchy outside, and chewy inside) takes time. You’ll need to allow at least eight hours, and possibly up to two days depending on the heat and humidity levels in your kitchen.
These chocolate-dipped candied grapefruit peels are great for holiday gifting.They ship well and will last for 3-4 weeks at room temperature when stored in an airtight container, so they’re also perfect for mailing to out-of-town friends and family. I suggest packaging them in a pretty cello bag.
Other Fruit-Based Candy Recipes You Might Enjoy
Simple Candied Orange Peel
Cranberry Jelly Candy
Strawberry Marshmallows
Candied Lemon Peels
Lemon Drops Hard Candy
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
