I spotted these pretty pink pomelos at my local farmers' market and wanted to somehow incorporate them in a weekend baking project. Although Paris has entered autumn we have been experiencing a second summer these past few days which inspired me to bake something bright and zesty. After thumbing through a few of my favorite cookbooks I decided the pomelos might work as candied decor for a buttermilk lemon teacake. Having never candied my own citrus slices before, I turned to some online food blogs for a little guidance. I've experienced my fair share of highs and lows in the kitchen, especially when trying out a new recipe. I had imagined that these beautiful pink pomelo slices would turn translucent and shimmery, keeping their gorgeous pink and lime-green hues. Unfortunately I may have let them over-boil in their sugary syrup as they quickly went from magical to murky. I was able to save just a few slices and luckily had an orange on hand for another go. I lowered the heat significantly the second time around and it really made all the difference.
Lemon buttermilk teacake is a perfect afternoon cake and the white glaze allows the candied citrus to really pop. Candied lemon slices would look stunning as well for those die-hard lemon lovers out there!
Instructions
Bring 1 cup of water and 1 cup of granulated sugar to a boil in a medium pot. When sugar dissolves you can lower the heat and gently add your citrus slices. I used 1 navel orange and let the slices overlap slightly. Let them simmer for about 40 minutes turning slices over once or twice. Do not boil! Place a wire rack over a sheet of parchment paper. Transfer slices to let dry. I left mine out overnight and used them to decorate my cake in the morning.