Candied Mandarin Peel | Mandarins.com.au

Mandarin peel is the part of the fruit most people throw away, which is a waste. The peel is where most of the fragrance sits. Candied, it becomes a confection in its own right; chocolate-dipped, it is a simple gift; dried, it keeps for months and flavours soups, stocks, and baked goods long after the season ends.

Make candied peel from June through August, when Imperial and Honey Murcott provide thick, fragrant skin. Always start with unwaxed fruit, or wash waxed fruit thoroughly with warm water before peeling.

Quick guide

Five things to do with mandarin peel:

Classic candied peel: simmered in sugar syrup until translucent, dusted in caster sugar
Chocolate-dipped candied peel: the classic confection, good for gifts
Sugared peel: a simpler, quicker version rolled in sugar only, no chocolate
Peel for cakes and panettone: finely chopped, used as a baking ingredient in place of bought mixed peel
Dried peel: dehydrated in the oven, kept for flavouring stocks, soups, and teas

Classic candied mandarin peel

Score each mandarin from stem to tip into quarters, cutting only through the peel, not the flesh. Remove the peel in four pieces and scrape off as much of the white pith as possible with a spoon. Cut each quarter into strips about 5mm wide.

Blanch the peel: cover with cold water in a saucepan, bring to the boil, drain. Repeat twice more to reduce bitterness. This step is important with mandarin peel, which can turn quite bitter during the long simmer in syrup if it has not been blanched first.

Make a sugar syrup: combine equal parts water and caster sugar in a saucepan (a half cup of each is enough for four mandarins’ worth of peel). Stir over medium heat until dissolved. Add the blanched peel strips and simmer over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes until the peel is translucent and the syrup has thickened. The peel will look glassy when ready.

Drain the peel through a sieve, reserving the syrup. (This syrup is a good mandarin drizzle for cakes or a cocktail sweetener.) Spread the peel on a sheet of baking paper to dry slightly, then roll in extra caster sugar while still sticky. Arrange individually on fresh baking paper to set.

Store in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to three months.

Key ingredients: mandarin peel (4 fruit), caster sugar, water.

Chocolate-dipped candied peel

Make the classic candied peel as above, but dry the strips completely before dipping, which takes several hours at room temperature or 30 minutes in a low oven (60°C). The peel must be dry or the chocolate will not stick cleanly.

Melt dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher) in a heatproof bowl over gently simmering water, or in short bursts in a microwave. Dip each strip of peel halfway into the chocolate, let the excess drip off, then lay on baking paper to set at room temperature. Do not refrigerate during setting or the chocolate will bloom.

Use the best chocolate you can find. The bitterness of dark chocolate works against the sweetness of the candied peel, and the combination suits a mandarin’s natural citrus sharpness. Milk chocolate is too sweet.

These are the version to make for gifts. A small box of six to eight dipped strips, wrapped in tissue paper, is a straightforward winter present.

Sugared peel (quick method)

The simpler version: blanch the peel strips twice, simmer in syrup for 20 minutes (less time than the full candied method), drain, and roll immediately in caster sugar. Allow to dry on baking paper.

The sugared version is less glossy and less shelf-stable than the full candied peel, but it takes half the time and works well for immediate use on cakes, in biscuits, or served with coffee.

Peel for cakes and panettone

Finely chop or dice candied mandarin peel to use in place of bought mixed peel. Homemade peel has a more pronounced mandarin flavour and less artificial sweetness than the commercial product.

Use it in Christmas cake, boiled fruit cake, hot cross buns, and panettone. Mandarin peel in panettone is particularly good: the thin, aromatic peel dissolves slightly into the dough and gives the finished loaf a more complex citrus flavour than orange or lemon alone.

For panettone, the peel should be finely diced (3 to 4mm pieces) and not overly wet. Dry the candied peel on a rack for several hours before using in yeast-based recipes, or the moisture can affect the dough.

The Nut Market notes that glace mixed peel is a standard ingredient in mince tarts, Italian panettone, and boiled fruit cakes. Homemade mandarin peel is a direct substitute with a fresher flavour.

Dried mandarin peel

The fastest method, and the most useful for everyday cooking. Slice mandarins into 4 to 5mm rounds crossways. Arrange on a wire rack set inside a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake at 90°C for 3 to 4 hours until completely dry but not dark or brittle. Check regularly after the first two hours.

Alternatively, after you have used mandarin peel for zest, place the spent half-shells on a tray and leave them in the oven after you turn it off. The residual heat dries them without using extra energy. This tip comes from chef Callum Hann via the ABC.

Store dried peel in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place. It keeps for months.

Uses for dried peel: add to chicken noodle soup with star anise and soy for a Chinese-influenced broth. Steep in hot water as a simple mandarin tea. Infuse into cream or milk for desserts. Grind to a powder and use to flavour sugar, butter, or spice rubs for pork and duck.

Dried peel can also be infused into gin, whisky, or rum for a homemade mandarin spirit: place 2 to 3 pieces of dried peel in a 700ml bottle and leave for 48 hours. Remove before the peel makes the spirit bitter.

When to make candied peel

Imperial season starts in April to May and provides the easiest peel to work with. Honey Murcott arrives in July with a slightly richer skin. See when Australian mandarins are in season for the full calendar.