Candied Peel

Candied peel is one of the staple holiday ingredients used in Irish baking, so it’s good to have on hand this time of year, especially in bulk. It’s not always easily found in stores, and is more cost-effective if made at home with store-bought citrus. It’s used in barmbrack, puddings, cakes, mincemeat, and more, and can be made well ahead of time since it keeps for months if stored in the freezer.

The US is no stranger to candied fruit (think dried pineapple and even chunks of ginger). The sugar syrup actually removes the moisture from the fruit and is yet another old preservation technique dating from the 14th century.

The earliest advertisement I found for candied peel in Ireland is 1819, in the Dublin Evening Post, with candied lemon, orange and citron peels offered throughout the 19th century, often marketed for holiday baking. A substitute for candied peel is found in a 24 February 1923 edition of the Roscommon Messenger, and could definitely work: “A small quantity of orange marmalade may be recommended as a good substitute for candied peel as an ingredient for Christmas puddings, mincemeat, and cakes. The long shreds must be, of course, cut across into shorter pieces, but this is easily done without handling.”