Cynthia's Candied Citrus Peel

Ingredients:

• 5 large navel oranges, or 3 large grapefruits, or 8 large limes, or 8 medium lemons
• 2½ cups (600 ml) sugar
• 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
• ¾ cup (180 ml) semi-sweet or milk chocolate
• 1-2 tablespoons paraffin wax
• waxed paper

Instructions:

• cut fruit into 4 or 8 wedges
• remove fruit flesh but leave white pith attached to rind!
• cut into 2-3 inch long by ½ inch wide strips
• put into heavy sauce pan
• repeat 5 times:

• cover with boiling water
• let simmer for 5 minutes
• drain

• drain well
• spread out the strips on paper towels (separated)
• in same sauce pan, combine 1½ cups sugar, ¾ cups water, and the ginger
• bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer without stirring until sugar dissolves
• add the peels
• partially cover the pan and let simmer gently 1-1¼ hours, or until peels are tender and the syrup is almost absorbed
• meanwhile, line a large tray with waxed paper
• use tongs to transfer the hot peels to the paper, keeping the strips separated
• let cool
• roll strips in 1 cup of sugar
• place in single layer on fresh waxed paper, and let sit overnight to dry
• if still sticky, sprinkle on more sugar or roll again in sugar,and dry agin overnight
• melt parafine wax in microwave (takes a while), or in 1 cup container over simmering water
• add the chocolate to the melted parafin and heat in microwave until smooth
• dipp the peels halfway in the chocolate, and twirl off the excess
• lay on waxed paper to harden
• store peels in glass jar or cookie tins
   
• yields 2 pounds
• 90 cal. per ounce [by Christine Dörenberg]