Citrus crunch


Citrus crunch
These are fine crumbs of candied citrus peel. It can be used to sprinkle a dessert or other preparation to add both crunch and the flavour of the chosen citrus fruit. It is easy to prepare well in advance, and will keep in an airtight jar. This recipe is given for clementines, but can be made with all citrus fruits: lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit...
247 K 3.9/5 (25 reviews)
Grade this recipe:
Keywords:
Last modified on: February 2nd 2016
For this recipe: Comment Send to a friend Ask me a question Follow Printable Diaporama
For 50 g, you will need:

Change these quantities to make:
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 40 min.
Cooking: 40 min.
All in all: 1 hour 20 min.
When should you start or finish this recipe?
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time

Step by step recipe


Stage 1 - ⌛ 20 min.
Citrus crunch : Stage 1
Take 3 clementines, organic if possible.

Scrub fruit thoroughly, dry them, then with a very sharp knife cut off as much zest as you can.

Stage 2
Citrus crunch : Stage 2
The goal is to remove the zest, leaving the white pith on the fruit as far as possible. This pith is responsible for the bitterness.

Another possible technique is to use a peeler, but it must very be very sharp.

Stage 3
Citrus crunch : Stage 3
Continue like this for all the clementines, which you can then use for another recipe, or eat.

Stage 4
Citrus crunch : Stage 4
The volume of peel is quite small, but this is normal.

Stage 5 - ⌛ 5 min.
Citrus crunch : Stage 5
Put 100 g caster sugar and 50 ml water in a pan, heat to dissolve.

Stage 6 - ⌛ 1 min.
Citrus crunch : Stage 6
Then add the clementine peel.

Stage 7 - ⌛ 10 min.
Citrus crunch : Stage 7
Reduce over medium heat, until obtaining a thick syrup around the peel.

Stage 8 - ⌛ 3 min.
Citrus crunch : Stage 8
Pour peel and syrup onto a rack (or into a chinois or a strainer) to drain them.

Stage 9 - ⌛ 30 min.
Citrus crunch : Stage 9
Lay them on a baking sheet, then put in the oven at 130°C or 266°F for about 30 minutes.

The goal is to dry the peel to make it crunchy, not to cook it any further.

Stage 10 - ⌛ 2 min.
Citrus crunch : Stage 10
At the end of 30 minutes, allow to cool, then tip the peel onto your work surface. At this point you can remove any excess sugar.

Stage 11 - ⌛ 5 min.
Citrus crunch : Stage 11
Then crush with a rolling pin, more or less finely according to taste.

Stage 12
Citrus crunch : Stage 12
You should obtain crumbs, still with a few small pieces, not too fine.

Stage 13
Citrus crunch : Stage 13
Keep in an airtight jar.
Remarks
This powder is used on desserts to which you want to give a "lift" (the tang of citrus) and add crunch, like Chaud-froid of grapefruit-pineapple, Fruits with sabayon, or Poelée de petits fruits au sabayon gratiné. But even on a simple ice-cream, the effect is striking.

As it can be prepared in advance and stored, you can prepare several varieties, and powder your desserts with several flavours.

I advise you to use organic fruit, because it's the peel which is used in this recipe, and that's first in line to pick up all the chemical treatments applied to the fruit...
Keeping: Several months in a jar.
Source: From chef Michel Bras, via famous teacher Hervé This (only great people...).
Nutritional information
Proteins (gr)Carbohydrates (gr)Fats (gr)Energy value (in k-calories)Energy value (in k-joules)
Whole recipe2 RDI=1 %130 RDI=10 %0520 RDI=30 %2,170 RDI: 30 %
Per 100 g030 RDI=3 %0110 RDI=6 %480 RDI: 6 %
The % figures are calculated in relation to the Recommended Dietary Intake , or RDI of 2,000 k-calories (or 8,400 k-joules) per day for a woman
How much will it cost?
  • For 50 g : 2.50 €

Change currency:

Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
Some other recipes using this recipe
Chaud-froid of grapefruit, pineapple and lime custard
Chaud-froid of grapefruit, pineapple and lime custard

Cold grapefruit quarters with slices of hot caramelized pineapple, lime custard (crème anglaise) and citrus crunch.
271 K4.5 2 hours 5 min.
Fresh fruit in sabayon
Fresh fruit in sabayon

Fresh grapefruit and / or pears, covered with a sabayon and a pinch of citrus crunch.
300 K4.7 55 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Other recipes you may also like
Chouquettes
Chouquettes
Chouquettes are small choux puffs with sugar crystals on the top. They are usually eaten plain, but can also be filled with a variety of things: cream, fruit, chocolate... whatever you like.
September 10th 2018235 K4.8 1 hour 25 min.
French dressing (vinaigrette)
French dressing (vinaigrette)
Here is a very simple recipe, but it could completely transform, maybe even transcend, your salad.
July 7th 20111.07 M4.5 7 min.
How to prepare an avocado
How to prepare an avocado
Here is how to get from an avocado only the flesh of the fruit.
January 9th 2010208 K 14 15 min.
How to glaze a tart
How to glaze a tart
Professional pastrycooks usually say that "a beautiful cake is already half sold", it is one of the reasons why they do not put a tart on sale without glazing it ("abricoter" in Fench), i.e. coating it with a thick apricot syrup. This glaze gives a glossy finish to the tart (see the photographs below) and also protects it from the air and thus from oxidation and browning. It's a quite simple technique that you can easily apply to give to your desserts a professional look. This is how you do it.
February 15th 2016471 K4.4 7 min.
How to use gelatin
How to use gelatin
Gelatin is a gelling agent use in some desserts where a rather firm texture is required when cold. It can also be used to stabilize a dessert (mousses especially) that you need to keep longer than usual.
July 9th 2018428 K4.8 7 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com

Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-11-02)

*Your e-mail Your first name or nickname
I am not a leaving thing
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Posted by:
I am not a leaving thing

Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
I am not a leaving thing
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.

Back to top of page