In winter, and in other seasons, we often eat citrus fruits. And after peeling the pulp, we carelessly throw away the peel. And in vain! After all, many culinary recipes - not only desserts, but also sauces and meat dishes - call for the use of lemon or orange zest. But she is not always at hand. In this article I will talk about five ways to use this product.
But first, you need to learn how to make dried orange peel at home. There is nothing complicated about this, the whole process will take you a maximum of 5 minutes. There are two ways to do this, and both are extremely simple.
How to zest an orange
To do this you will need a paring knife. Procedure:
- Choose the ripest orange - whole, without dents, signs of spoilage, or other defects.
- Wash it with soap and a dishwashing sponge. Rinse well with clean water.
- Wipe dry with a clean cloth.
- Start collecting the orange zest, removing a thin layer with a knife. You must try not to touch the loose white layer.
If you don’t have a special knife for vegetables, you can use a grater. Experienced cooks advise pressing parchment paper onto it. Afterwards you can remove the zest as usual. The paper will prevent it from getting stuck between the teeth. This way the grater will remain clean, and not a single gram of valuable product is lost when washing it.
Zesting knife
There is a special knife for removing orange zest. It looks like a small curved scoop, at the ends of which there are five cutting “windows”. In addition, the knife is equipped with a side hole on the side. Thus, with its help you can remove two types of zest. The first will have the appearance of thin shavings, and the second will have a denser texture in the form of a groove.
It makes sense to purchase such a device for anyone who often prepares cake with orange zest and other dishes with this spice.
Home freshener
To prepare it you will need the peels of two or three oranges, one tablespoon of vanilla extract, one spoon of ground cloves, three cinnamon sticks. Water is poured into the pan, two tablespoons of vinegar are added, as well as the ingredients listed above. After boiling, everything is cooked until it begins to give off the appropriate aroma.
The advantages of such a freshener are obvious: low cost and ease of production, naturalness, distribution of a pleasant aroma, air humidification.
Chemical properties and nutritional value
The peel of the citrus fruit is incredibly rich in essential oils, which is why it is valued in cooking. They are preserved even after drying, giving dishes an incredible aroma and a characteristic bitter-sweet cloying taste. In addition, it includes:
- limonene;
- hesperidin;
- phellandrene;
- salvestrol;
- acids – malic, formic, myristic, palmitic, stearic;
- phytosterols;
- vitamins – A, C, E, group B;
- minerals – calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, iron;
- polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids;
- proteins;
- carbohydrates.
Nutritional value – 97 kcal per 100 g.
Is it possible to eat lemon peel
Despite the high content of vitamins and minerals in lemon peel, all the benefits can be displaced due to the danger that lies in the use of chemical processing. This is done for storage and improves the appearance of the fruit. Therefore, to avoid food poisoning and allergic reactions, the product is thoroughly washed with a brush and doused with boiling water. It’s better to completely avoid eating citrus fruit along with the peel if the lemons are grown in distant countries, which means there is a risk of getting a processed fruit.
Beneficial properties of orange peel
They are due to the valuable substances and nutrients included in its composition. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (Omega) are beneficial for the cardiovascular system. They lower blood cholesterol levels, preventing atherosclerosis and other heart diseases.
The vitamins contained in citrus fruits are important for maintaining normal functioning of the body and preventing severe disorders - scurvy, rickets, depression, neuralgia. Most of all, orange peel is rich in ascorbic acid, which is necessary to improve immunity, as well as calcium, which is responsible for the strength of bones and teeth.
This product is useful to take during the season of viral infections and colds. It is able to suppress the growth of bacterial microflora, improve mood, relieve anxiety, prevent the development of arthritis, arthrosis, and even have a rejuvenating effect.
Application in cosmetology
Orange zest is not only a culinary spice. The structure of the peel is such that it can be used not only for cooking, but to increase its attractiveness.
Cosmetology has long been in love with orange zest. Women actively use it as a scrub, as it removes dead skin cells well, cleansing the skin and making it soft. A scrub based on orange peel can be used not only for the face, but for other parts of the body - arms, feet, thighs. In the latter case, it will additionally have an anti-cellulite effect.
Fragility and fragility of nails, delamination - this is what orange peel can also cope with well. It can be added to hand baths. In addition to the zest in its pure form, orange essential oil is used in cosmetology, which can be included in almost all creams and masks.
How to cook at home
Removing the peel is half the battle. If the owner plans to use it immediately, then no problems will arise. But it is often prepared for future use, and then used as needed.
Instructions on how to make orange zest:
- Wash citrus fruits with soap. Rinse well in running water.
- Place in boiling water for a couple of minutes.
- Dry with paper or cotton towel.
- Remove the zest using any suitable method - a special knife, vegetable peeler or grater.
- Cover a baking sheet with parchment. Place the peel on it in one layer.
- Preheat the oven to +50°C and place a baking sheet in it for 2-4 hours. Readiness to determine by touch - the zest should become hard and completely dry.
- Grind it in a coffee grinder. In the absence of one, you can put it in a linen bag and tap it with a hammer.
- Place in an airtight container - a ziplock bag or container with an airtight lid.
- Store in a dark, dry place.
On a note:
- Basically, recipes for making candied peels are designed to use the zest of 5-10 oranges. However, what if you don’t want to eat that much tropical fruit (or drink that much juice) in one day? The answer is simple: the crusts can be collected over several days, placed in a food container and stored in the refrigerator. There the peel will not deteriorate within 5 days.
- Even a child can take part in creating such a dessert. For example, he can sprinkle candied fruits with sugar, dip them into melted chocolate with tweezers, and decorate them with sprinkles.
- Candied fruits are placed on the table in deep bowls, beautiful transparent glasses or in vases.
Read further:
Author of the article
I work as a pastry chef, I love to create, I make delicious cakes and pastries. Hostess of a sweet club.
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Using orange peel in cooking
Orange zest is actively used in cooking for preparing various dishes. It is a mild, mild spice that imparts a bitter and fresh flavor to food.
Where is it added?
Orange peel is added when cooking meat, poultry, fish, fruits, and vegetables. Some people can’t imagine okroshka and other cold summer soups without it. Dairy dishes - porridge, casseroles, cocktails, ice cream - this is where orange zest is often found, as well as in baked goods.
Pie with orange zest, buns, muffins, sponge cakes, charlottes, puddings - all these baked goods and sweets acquire a special taste and aroma with citrus peel. This also includes sweet sauces, desserts, as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, jams, jelly, compotes, fruit drinks, jellies.
What goes with it?
Orange zest goes well with other types - lemon, grapefruit, orange zest. Other combinations are shown in the table.
| Recipe type | Valid combinations |
| Meat dishes | Cardamom, various types of pepper, turmeric, suneli hops |
| Sweet dishes | Nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla |
| Refreshing drinks | Ginger root, star anise, poppy seed, anise |
Orange zest refreshes the palate, reduces fat content, and dampens sweetness.
Proportions
If hot and other spices with a pronounced taste and aroma are added to food in fractions of a gram, then orange peel can be added in grams. One pinch contains approximately several grams. This is exactly how much is used when preparing dishes from meat, fish, and vegetables.
You can put more in confectionery products, baked goods and sweets - from several teaspoons to several tablespoons. It all depends on personal taste preferences. Some people only like a faint citrus aftertaste, while others want to feel it more fully.
Recipes
There are many popular recipes using orange zest. The most widespread are baked goods and sweets using it.
Easter cake with orange zest
What you will need:
- flour;
- milk;
- eggs;
- sugar;
- salt;
- vanillin;
- cream based butter;
- orange peel;
- yeast;
- vegetable oil.
Beat 4 eggs and 300 g of sugar with a whisk or mixer, adding a pinch of salt and vanilla. Heat 300 ml of milk, adding 200 g of butter. When the last component has dissolved, pour this mixture over the eggs and add the zest from one orange. Sift 1 kg of flour onto the table. Add 1 tbsp to it. l. yeast. Make a well and pour out the liquid mixture. Knead the dough. Leave it to rise under the film.
Then knead again and leave for a while again. Divide into several parts, place them in greased pans and leave again until they rise. Place in the oven preheated to +140°C for 20 minutes, then raise the temperature to +170°C and bake until done. Cover with glaze made from egg whites and powdered sugar.
Muffins with orange zest
What you will need:
- orange juice and peel;
- eggs;
- cream based butter;
- sugar;
- vanillin;
- flour and baking powder for it.
Remove the zest from one orange and squeeze the juice from the pulp - 150 ml. Melt 100 g of butter and combine it with two eggs. Mix. Add juice, zest, and then flour - 200 g, vanillin on the tip of a knife and 1 tsp. baking powder. Mix. Grease muffin tins and fill them 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes in an oven preheated to +180°C.
Cookies with orange zest
What you will need:
- orange peel;
- cream based butter;
- sugar;
- salt;
- eggs;
- flour and baking powder for it.
Lightly melt 100g butter in the microwave. Add 80 g of sugar and beat with a mixer. Beat in two eggs and mix. Remove the zest from half the orange. Add to the total mass. Send there 1 tsp. baking powder and add 150 g of flour. Add a pinch of salt. Knead the dough.
Line a baking tray with baking paper and place the dough on it, forming it into round hemispheres with a spoon. Preheat the oven to +170°C and remove the cookies for 10-15 minutes to brown.
Easter cake with choux pastry
Category: Baked goods Dough products Easter cakes
A friend shared this recipe with me last year. Everyone in their organization bakes Easter cakes using it. She admonished me with the words: “If you try to bake like this once, you won’t try other recipes later.” And so it happened. Now I have my own Easter cake recipe!!! Unfortunately, I won’t be able to bake this year, but I want to share this wonderful recipe with you. Maybe it will be useful to someone else.
Isis
April 21, 2011
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Chicken egg Milk Butter Ghee Sugar Vegetable oil Yeast Salt Raisins Lemon zest Vanillin Wheat flour Orange zest
