Homemade Mixed Peel Recipe

An easy homemade mixed peel recipe containing a blend of orange and lemon peels candied in a sugar syrup and dried in the oven. Use this mix of dried citrus peels for British recipes like Christmas cake, mini Christmas puddings, mince pies, hot cross buns, and bara brith.

Why Did I Create This Mixed Peel Recipe?

When I moved to London to attend pastry school at Le Cordon Bleu, I found myself in a whole new world of baking ingredients, like custard powder; clotted cream; golden syrup; mixed spice; and mixed peel, a blend of diced, candied citrus peels (typically lemon and orange) used in British recipes like Christmas puddings and hot cross buns.

In the UK, you can buy tubs of mixed peel in the baking aisle at pretty much any supermarket. But finding it in the US presents more of a challenge. Some stores stock it at Christmastime (it’s usually merchandised with the candied cherries and other candied fruits used for fruitcake), but otherwise, it’s only sold via online sources, or at British specialty shops. I developed this recipe so I can make my own mixed peel blend at home.

Mixed Peel Ingredients

• Citrus Peels – I’ve used a blend of navel orange and lemon peels. (For other citrus suggestions, see my notes below.) Take time to thoroughly wash the fruit before slicing. You’ll only need the peels for this recipe, so save the rest of the lemon for lemonade or lemon granita, and toss the oranges in a citrus salad or juice them for orange almond cake or cranberry and orange curd.
• Granulated Sugar – Cooking the peels in a sugar syrup acts as both a sweetener and a preservative. When making candied peels for snacking, I prefer the larger grains of granulated sugar, so I can toss each peel in sugar for a crunchy finishing touch. This recipe skips the tossing step (the extra sugar isn’t necessary, since you’ll use the mixed peel for baking recipes which already contain sugar), so feel free to use caster or superfine sugar for the syrup instead.

Mixed Peel Uses, Tips, and Tricks

• Vary the fruit. Traditional, commercially-made mixed peel blends usually contain a mix of orange and lemon peel. However, I sometimes like to add grapefruit peel to my mixed peel blend, too. You can also experiment with other citrus fruits (lime, kumquat) to find the mix you enjoy best, or use up whatever you have on hand.
• Use a sharp knife. Thinner peels can sometimes prove difficult to slice. Employing a very sharp chef’s knife for the dicing step making it easier to cut the peels into pieces.

• Bake on parchment. Although I’m a huge fan of silicone baking mats, they’re not the right choice for drying citrus peels, because they allow too much moisture to collect on top of the mat. Line your tray with baking parchment instead. And if at any point the paper looks overly wet or soggy, swap it out for a fresh sheet.

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Homemade Mixed Peel Recipe

Recipe by becky

• Total Time3 1/2 hours, plus additional air-drying time
• Yield120 grams (about 1 cup) 1x

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An easy homemade mixed peel recipe containing a blend of orange and lemon peels candied in a sugar syrup and dried in the oven.

Ingredients

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2 navel oranges, thoroughly washed and dried
2 lemons, thoroughly washed and dried
480 milliliters water (2 cups)
400 grams granulated sugar (2 cups)

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Instructions

With a sharp chef’s knife, remove the ends of each fruit, then carefully remove the peels in halves or quarters.

Slice peels into 1/2-inch thick strips.

Add the peels to a medium saucepan. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Boil 15 minutes.

Pass blanched peels through a fine mesh strainer to drain. Rise thoroughly with cold water.

In a medium saucepan, simmer blanched peels, water, and granulated sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 200° F (95° C). Line a half sheet rimmed baking tray with parchment.

Pass peels through a fine mesh strainer, or use a slotted spoon to remove the peels from the syrup.

Arrange on prepared tray. Don’t allow the peels to touch.

Bake 2 hours, tossing periodically with a metal spatula.

With a sharp chef’s knife, cut peels into small pieces, approximately 1/4-inch in size.

Line tray with a fresh sheet of parchment. Spread with the diced peels. Allow to sit, uncovered, at room temperature until peels feel dry to the touch.*

Store homemade mixed peel in an airtight container or sealed food storage bag for up to 1 month.

 

Notes

*This can take anywhere from an hour to a day, depending on the fruit you’ve selected, the thickness of the peels, and the humidity levels in your kitchen. Make sure the peels are thoroughly dry before transferring to an airtight container; remaining moisture can promote mold.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Simmering Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 2 hours
• Category: Miscellaneous
• Method: Oven + Stovetop
• Cuisine: British

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

If stored in an airtight container, homemade mixed peel will keep nicely at room temperature for at least one month, and possibly longer than that. Double-check that the peels feel completely dry to the touch before transferring to the storage container; any traces of moisture can create mold.

Other British Recipes You Might Enjoy

Bara Brith (Welsh Tea Bread)
Bourbon Biscuits
Mini Christmas Puddings
Homemade Mixed Spice
Lemon Posset
Eton Mess

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!