I’m a chocolate girl. Everyone knows that. But seeing these candied lemons in cookbooks and on Pinterest got me craving for them. And they weren’t all that hard to make. Which is curious because they look so delicate and pretty that I always assumed that the process was difficult and complicated.

You simply cook the lemons in water and then in sugar syrup till they turn translucent. It takes over an hour from start to finish but at least you don’t stand over the stove the whole time. You just leave them simmering and let the sugar do all the work.

These are so pretty to look at, and strangely nice to eat. When used to garnish a cake or a pie, they offer a contrasting texture and a strong lemony kick to the palette.

And you don’t waste any part of the lemon this way. The rind becomes completely edible. And the lemon imparts a beautiful flavour to the syrup. So don’t throw it away. Bottle it up and use it to sweeten your tea. Or maybe use it to make a zingy citrus glaze.

I have plans for these beautiful hoops of sunshine! Keep an eye out for the next post. 😉

Storing the leftover sugar syrup: Add 1/2 cup water to the syrup and bring to a boil. This will dilute the sugars a bit. Transfer to a clean, dry glass bottle. Let it cool completely before covering. Store in a cool, dark place.