Grapefruit Sugar Cookies

Subject: Grapefruit Sugar Cookies Mon Nov 10, 2008 2:10 pm

1 cup butter

1-1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

3 cups sifted flour

2-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup finely chopped Candied Grapefruit Peel (recipe follows)

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and beat until fluffy

Sift together dry ingredients, mix in grapefruit peel

Add to creamed mixture

Divide dough in half, place in covered container and chill in refrigerator several hours

roll dough about 1/4" thick on floured board, cut with floured cutter

Place on greased baking sheet and bake 375F for 8 to 10 minutes
Makes about 5 dozen

Candied Grapefruit Peel

Select and wash thick skinned grapefruit

Cut into quarters and remove pulp

Put peel in saucepan

Cover with cold water

Weight down peel with a plate

Let stand several hours or overnight

Drain

With scissors, cut peel into strips about 1/4" wide

Cover peel with cold water and slowly bring to a simmer 180 degrees in a saucepan

Remove from heat, cover pan and let stand about 1

hour, drain

Repeat process until peel no longer tastes bitter (about 3 times)

Cover again with water and boil until yellow peel is tender, about 15 minutes

Drain well in colander

Press out water

Pack peel firmly into measuring cup to measure

Return peel to saucepan

For each cup of peel, add 1 cup sugar, place over medium heat

Stir until sugar has dissolved (peel forms its own liquid)

Cook peel over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar syrup is concentrated, reduce heat to low (syrup should boil gently)

Continue cooking until the grapefruit peel is semitransparent and most of the sugar syrup has boiled away

drain in colander

Separate pieces of peel on baking sheets and allow to stand until they feel fairly dry

Sprinkle with enough sugar to give a crystalline look
Store in tightly covered cans, or in plastic bags in the freezer