Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-01-18
CANDEED GRAPEFRUIT
PEEL MAKES CENTER
Also Serves as Substitute for
Citron in Baking,
Two Methods of Cooking Are Outlined,
One With Water Alone, the Other
With Lime Water-PIace in
Albright Jars.
(Prepared by the United States Department
of AgricuIture.l

Prepared by the United States Department
of Agricultural
Candied grapefruit peel makes an
excellent center for chocolates and also
serves as a substitute for citron in bak-
ing, according to the United States De
partment of Agriculture. Many firms
now use candied citrus products in
stead of citron in making mincemeat.
Wash the fruit and remove the peel,
leaving as little of the white material
attached to the fruit as possible. The
peel can be more readily detached if
the fruit is dipped in boiling water for
a few minutes If peel from fruit from
which the juice has been pressed is to
be used, the segment walls can be
cleaned away with knife. Not all Of
the peel from this class of material
can be saved. but usually enough is
recovered to make it pay. Cut the peel
into strips 2 inches long by u inch
wide, into disks u inch wide, or into
squares of the same size.
There are two methods of cooking
the peel. In one method water alone
is used; in the other preliminary
treatment with lime water is given.
Under certain conditions the finished
product has a slightly tough layer at
the surface, the remnant of the outer
surface of the original peel. Ihls
toughness can be overcome by using
lime water, although as a rule results
almost as good are obtained by using
water alone. Only the clear lime wa
ter should be used for this purpose,
never milk of lime. Lime water con-
tains only a few tenths of l per cent
of lime in solution and will not injure
the peel. Place the prepared peel in
a kettle and cover it either with
mixture consisting Of two parts Of wa
fer and one part Of clear lime water or
with water alone. Cover and boil for
half an hour. Pour off the liquid !;
again cover with water and boil for
half an hour. Do not use lime water
after the first cooking Repeat the
boiling with fresh water eacn time,
until piece of the peel when removed
and cooled has about the bitter taste
that is desired in the finished product.
The final product wiz be little less
bitter than the peel at this stage as
some of the bitterness disappears on
further cooking. Usually three treat
nents are sufficient when a rather bit
fer flavor is desired. Five or six treat
mems produce a nhld-favored peel;
more than that number give prod
uct without much grapefruit flavor.
When the desired flavor is reached,
pour off the water and drain the peel
tbe excess of water can be removed
by gentle pressure.
To candy the peel prepare a s1rup,
using equal parts of graduated sugar
and water. and cover the peel with it.
Boil very slowly for an hour or SO, ana
allow the peel to remain in the strip
overnight, or longer if convenient.
Finally, boil again until the strip be-
comes thick, stopping the cooking at
the usual end point for jelly making;
that is. when the substance flakes or
sheets from the spoon or the tempera-
ture on a candy thermometer is about
219 degrees f. The peel is satisfac-
tory even if cooking is stopped before
it reaches this point; overlooking
tends to make the peel hard. Whlle
hot drain the strip from the peel as
completely as possible, shaking repeat
edly to remove the last drops. Now
roll the peel in powdered sugar, sep
arating any pieces that stick together.
Cool and allow to remain in the air
for several days to dry out.
Place the dry peel in alright jars
sr cans. where it will keep for months.