Using a vegetable peeler, peel just the zest off of your fruit. Try to get as little of the bitter white pith as possible.
Trim the white pith from the peel if need be. Flatten the peel on a cutting board and carefully shave the white part from the zest.
Cut the zest into long strips about 1/4 inch wide.
Place peels in a saucepan and add cold water just to cover; bring the mixture to a boil; strain
Note: For lemons, repeat 2 more times; for grapefruit, repeat 4 times, for oranges, once is enough.
Candy Citrus Rind
In the same saucepan combine the sugar and water, stir to hydrate. Add your corn syrup. Return the peels to the saucepan and cook over low heat.
Simmer peels for 1-2 hours or until they are translucent but still retain their color. They should be soft and sweet with just a little bit of chew. If your cooking liquid no longer covers your zest at any point just add a little water.
You can store the candied zest in the cooking liquid (refrigerated) or to crystallize, strain the zest, place on a rack or plate and allow to cool until tacky. Then toss in about ¼ cup finely ground sugar. Cool and store in a cool, dry place until ready to use.