Candied Lemons (& Limes)

They seem simple enough to make – simmer in simple syrup until supple, set on wax paper, dust with sugar, and let dry. I basically cribbed this recipe.

And since I had a lime, I thought, Why not use it as well?

Citrus simmering in simple syrup

Well…

The limes never got supple enough – the rind remained hard and despite the sugar, the slices were generally inedible. Granted, I did crowd the pan, so they may not have had enough room to get soft. Or perhaps limes have tougher rinds and thus would take longer to soften.

The lemons turned out better. They are a kind of sweet & tart treat – the sweet of the sugar punctuated by the tart of the lemon. I'm only able to have a few slices at a time, and I like the combination of sweet and tart.

I think this would taste good with Meyer lemons or Key limes, which I understand to be the sweeter varieties of their respective fruits. I'm thinking grapefruit would also be good.

Now what to do with the leftover lemon-lime simple syrup...