This candied clementine peel dessert is one of many candied orange and citrus peel recipes that Sawsan Abu Farha makes in the winter.
By Sawsan Abu Farha
I love citrus fruit, I think it all started when we were kids and we would go visit my grandmother and grandfather in Jenine. My grandparents had a two-story house and we usually stayed in the second floor when we visited. My favorite part of the house was the balcony, it provided a breath-taking view of orange orchards that stretched as far as the eye can see. It was sheer joy to wake up in the morning, open the window and allow the first rays of sunlight to wash over you carrying with them a smell I will never forget, the smell of orange blossoms.In early morning and late afternoon the breeze carried over the scent of those pearly white blossoms and whenever I smell it now, it brings back fond memories of days spent playing between the trees, climbing, looking for bird nests and hours spent in treasure hunts in a sea of leaves, trees and oranges. 
Candied clementine peel dessert balls are one of many candied orange and citrus peel recipes that my mum makes in the winter. The recipe couldn’t be simpler yet it really lets that citrus fragrant flavor of the clementines shine. You don’t have to make these into balls, you can use the same recipe as preserves to serve with scones or fill a cake or even to stuff cookies. I love them as these little dessert balls,they are a great way to satisfy a sweet craving because the flavors are so intense you don’t need more than one or two. They make wonderful gifts, you can serve them at parties and they keep in the fridge for a very long time
Candied Clementine Peel Dessert
- Total Time: 40 minutes
Description
This candied clementine peel dessert is one of many candied orange and citrus peel recipes that Sawsan Abu Farha makes in the winter.
Ingredients
- Clementine orange peel
- sugar
- lemon juice
Instructions
- Soak your orange peel in water for two days, changing the water once or twice every day
- In the food processor pulse the orange peel until it is the size of lentils or a little finer
- For each cup of ground orange peel add 1 cup of sugar if you plan on storing these for a long time . I use 1/2 to 2/3 of a cup and keep them in the fridge.
- In a pot cook the orange peel and sugar with the juice of half a lemon until the orange peel is translucent and the mix thickens
- Take off the heat and allow to cool completely
- Roll about a heaped teaspoon of the mix between your hands to form a ball.
- Roll the balls in shredded coconut or ground pistachio or ground almonds.
- You can also dip these clementine orange dessert balls in chocolate if you want to take them to a whole new level
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
Is it OK to collect and keep the peels in water for a week or more? That way I won’t need to eat a huge amount of clementines all at once. Thanks.
Hello Kenneth,
What I usually do is collect the peels in a bag in the fridge until I have enough to make the amount I want. Keep in mind though that You shouldn’t keep them for more than a week or 10 days at most or they will go bad.
Another idea would be to juice the clementines, that will give you delicious juice and enough peel to make the recipe with.
I hope this helps
I have another question now that I have collected enough clementine peels. Is the only liquid the lemon juice? Is it the juice of half a lemon per cup of peel? Thanks.
thank you Sawsan. I’ve try it. it’s so delicious.
Thank you!
I have some clementine peels, cut into eighths, which I’m looking to figure out how to candy. The amount of sugar per amount of peel is a useful-sounding idea, which I have not seen specified elsewhere.
One of my favourite people has a parent from Palestine who went away to school in Jordan, which is my small connection with your part of the world. Unfortunately, he turned me down, so his parents (who now both live in the middle east) are not now my in-laws, but he and I remain friends and try to stay in touch a few times a year.
It was delightful to read your description of smelling orange blossoms from the balcony, and of climbing in the trees, in your youth; it reminded me of fun times in, and fond memories of, my own childhood, which included climbing Bradford Pear trees, and cherry trees, in our neighbourhood when I was small(er).
Thank you!
annag