Chili Spiked Chocolate Candied Limes and Ginger Cardamom Lemons

Amounts for this recipe vary depending on the size of your cooking vessel.  You want an even layer of citrus boiling away in your pot.  If you use a small mouthed pot you can only make a few, if you use a larger pot you can do more at once.

Equipment: Large heavy bottomed skillet.  Cookie sheet. Drying/cooling rack.  Wire tool (or fork) to fish citrus out of water.  Double boiler or small sauce pan + saute pan that sits over it for limes. Parchment paper. Spatula.

Time: This is a several day project involving resting periods, if you don't have counter space you can use at least overnight, do not try this.

To candy citrus:
For limes: 1 part water to 2 parts sugar. Use enough water to come about 4 inches up the side of the pan and add sugar accordingly.
For lemons:  Same measurements if using normal lemons, 1 1/2 parts sugar if using meyer lemons.  2 pods cardamom (crushed) per lemon + 1/2 tbl ground ginger per lemon.

Slice fruit into thin rounds (about 1/8th of an inch).  Set your pot up with just water + a dash of salt and get it boiling.  Set up an ice water bath near by.  Boil your citrus in the water for 5 mins, then fish it out and put it in the ice bath (ice cubes + cool water in a large bowl).  If the fruit seems particularly bitter, throw the water out and repeat with fresh water/salt. 

Put water and sugar (and spices for lemons) into your pan.  drain citrus and add.  Bring to a boil and boil rapidly for about 5 mins.  Reduce heat to a simmer and leave it cooking away on low/medium heat for at least 2 hours (up to 4 hours)  check water level to be sure that it doesn't all evaporate and burn, adding more water slowly if needed.  Shake pan if citrus seems to be sticking together but do not stir as that can crystallize the sugar.

Pull citrus from water carefully and place on a drying rack over a cookie sheet to catch any drips.  Leave sitting in a cool dry place for at least 12 (as long as 24) hours.  Turn after 8 hours or so to be sure both sides can drip dry.  Dip citrus into a bit of sugar to coat and store between layers of parchment paper in the fridge.  serve lemons as is.

To chili/chocolate spike the limes:
Melt 3/4ths of a bag of dark (70% coco) chocolate in your double boiler/pan over pan setup.  Stir with the spatula to keep it evenly melting.  When it is completely melted, pull from heat and stir in remaining chocolate.  the residual heat will melt the remaining chocolate and it should be properly tempered.  (If you have a favorite other tempering method feel free to use it.)   Add a few tablespoons of chilli powder (or your own blend, I like cayane pepper, corriander, cumin, and salt) and some salt if there is none in your mix.  Dip the lime slices to coat and place on parchment paper to cool/set.  Store in fridge between parchment paper when set.