A&S 50: Food item two: Failed candied citron recipe

What I got was a caramelized mess. I tried to spread it out on the marble slab to cut candies, but it got rock hard! I wonder if I should let it thicken at a lower temperature?


Candied Citron Peel recipe

Take peels of citron, immerse them in salted water to eliminate the bitterness, then rinse them in fresh water and lay them out to dry. Cut them into pieces.  Take a pound and a quarter of sugar and as much honey and blend them together in a casserole [dast] that one puts on the fire.  Skim and throw in the peels. Let it thicken Before taking it off the fire add some ginger, long pepper, Chinese cinnamon, and mastic. If the syrup becomes quite thick it will be very good.

Kanz al-Fawai’ad fi tanwi’ al-mawa’id (“The Treasures of Useful Advice for the Composition of a Varied Table”).  13^th C Egypt. Translated by M.B. DeBevoise. As it appears in Medieval Cuisine of the Islamic World by Lilia Zaouali.

Citron peels
Salt
Sugar
Honey
Ginger
Long pepper
Cassia Cinnamon
Mastic