What is Citron?

What is Citron?

The citron fruit skin looks much like a lemon in color, but the skin is generally bumpier and the fruits are larger and heavier than lemons. The fruits are bigger, but when you cut them open there is not much actual fruit within. The yellow flesh looks small within the huge white rind and contains plenty of seeds. The aroma is similar, the taste is sour yet usually blander and the juice is far less than one could squeeze from a lemon.

Candied citron is pieces of the pulp of the citron fruit that have been blanched in water and then boiled in a sugar syrup before being dried. Candied citron is sometimes called for in baking. It adds a citrus bite to fruitcakes, panettone and stollen to name a few. It can also be stirred into granola recipes.

Thin slices of citron add a nice touch to a charcuterie platter.

Citron can be substituted in recipes calling for orange peel, lemon rind, and clementine slices.

Store candied citron in airtight containers in a cool, dry place. If stored properly, the shelf life of candied citron is at least a month.