Candied Pomelo Peel – An Ode to my Father

A bittersweet candy that can be used as an afternoon snack by itself or incorporated into baked goods for a delicious flavor addition. Candied pomelo peel is the snack you want to try. 

Looking for a unique sweet snack that blends bitter, citrusy notes with sugary delight? This candied pomelo peel recipe brings all that and a little nostalgia too.

You are probably wondering why the connection between candy and my Dad right? Well of all the childhood memories I have eating stuff that my dad made, this one of candied citrus peel stands out the most.

My dad always used shaddocks (what is also called pomelo) and it was such a treat. You can just about candy any citrus fruit you can find that has a good enough amount of white pith.

I loved that this was a combination of fruit, sweet and bitter all in one. I know he continuously had to tell us, “don’t eat any more today” as my sister and I would go grab strips after strips.

You will need to have a little patience for this treat, but your ingredients are simple and more than likely already in your house.

We just love using all the parts of our citrus fruits, a popular favorite being lime juice. 

What is pomelo and how to select a good one

Pomelos, also spelled pummelo or pommelo and what we call shaddocks, are a citrus species native to Southeast Asia. It is the largest citrus fruit. I have seen some on our tree almost as big as a watermelon.

It is an ancestor of the grapefruit and really just tastes just about the same. It is fleshier and has more pith. There are two varieties of them: sweet and sour. The skin color can vary from green to yellow.

They are packed with vitamin C and rich in fiber and other vitamins and nutrients like copper, fiber and potassium, and other health benefits.

Their season is usually around February. So if you see them outside of that time they could be either under-ripe or have been sitting around for a while.

It is best to have them when they are fresh and a nice green in color.

Since I don’t have a tree here, I have to buy them from the supermarket. I don’t always find them but when I do I want to make sure I am not selecting bad ones.

When choosing I look for:

• nice green or yellow
• no brown spots

How to make candied pomelo peel

Ingredients

You’ll need:

• Pomelo peels
• Granulated sugar
• Water
• Ginger

Helpful equipment:
Deep pot, paring knife, kettle, baking sheet with wax paper, cooling rack.

How to peel the pomelo

Peeling a pomelo is easier than it looks, especially once you get into the rhythm. The rind is thick and spongy, but that’s exactly what makes it perfect for candying.

Follow these simple steps:

1. Cut off the top and bottom: Use a sharp knife to slice a thin piece off the top and bottom of the pomelo. This gives you a flat surface to stabilize the fruit.
2. Score the skin: Make 4–8 vertical cuts down the sides of the pomelo, from top to bottom. You want to cut through the thick rind and pith, but not into the juicy flesh.

3. Peel away the sections: Slide your fingers under one of the scored sections and gently pull it back. The rind should separate fairly easily from the fruit. Repeat for each section until the whole fruit is peeled.
4. Remove any remaining pith: Trim off any extra thick white pith with a paring knife, especially the tough spongy parts. This helps reduce bitterness later.

Now you’ve got beautiful thick strips of pomelo peel, ready for candying!

Now that you’ve got your peels ready and trimmed, let’s get to the sweet part, literally.

We’re turning these thick citrus rinds into a delicious candied pomelo peel treat that’s chewy, sweet, and just the right amount of bitter.

Preparing the candy

1. Make sugar syrup: In a clean pot, add water, sugar, and ginger. Simmer until sugar dissolves.
2. Cook the peels: Add the peels to the syrup and simmer gently, stirring occasionally. Let cook for about 1 hour until syrup is mostly absorbed and peels are soft and translucent.
3. Dry and coat with sugar: Transfer peels to wax paper for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Roll them in extra sugar, then place on a rack to dry overnight (or bake at 170°F for 1 hour if you’re impatient or it’s humid).

Storage

We usually leave those tubs of citrus peel out on our shelves at room temperature for months on end and no issues. But this homemade version needs to be stored in the fridge to get the best life span. It can actually get moldy left outside.

Store it in an airtight container in your refrigerator and it will stay for months.

How to use mixed peel

We have always eaten this as a snack. Just grab strips of it and chomp away.

But the strips can be chopped up and used in a variety of baked goods. It is common for us to use the peel in our sweet bread and some Christmas cakes. 

Tips & Troubleshooting

My candied peel is bitter
That means you did not discard the oils as required. It is important to boil and throw off that water to strip the rinds of the bitter taste. You must boil it at least 4 times. Also, try to remove areas where the pith is extremely thick. 

I can’t find pomelos
You can use any citrus like oranges, grapefruits for this. You can even use limes and tangerines. If you can find all you can use them all together and have a mixed citrus peel. Would be great for color.

The best way to clean
It’s important to make sure you clean the fruit thoroughly. It’s also good to buy organic ones. But if not, just make sure you scrub them well to remove any chemicals or wax from the outside.

My strips are soft
Sometimes when in high-humidity places it really takes a while for the strips to firm up. If this is you, or even if you are short on time, you can place them flat on a baking tray and bake for an hour at 170 degrees. They will harden up around the edges.

Recipe