First, grab your trusty knife and cutting board. Slice the lemons into rings that are about 1/4-inch thick. Now, here comes the tricky part: remove the pulp from the lemon slices. This might take a minute, but it’s crucial for the texture. Afterward, slice the rings in half to create long strips of peel. This will enhance their appearance and make for easier munching later.

Next, take a small saucepan and fill it with water. Bring it to a rolling boil, then add the lemon peels. This step helps to remove excess bitterness and softens the peels a bit. Once they are in the boiling water, let them cook for about five minutes. Then, drain the peels and repeat this whole process three more times. Yes, it sounds like a lot, but trust me, it’s worth it!

Now, let’s move on to making our syrup. In a clean saucepan, combine 2 cups of fresh water with 2 cups of sugar. Bring this mixture to a boil while stirring continuously to dissolve the sugar completely. Once it’s bubbling and looks like a sweet syrup, reduce the heat to low.

Carefully add the softened lemon peels to the syrup. Here's where the magic happens! You want to let them simmer until the white pith on the peels becomes translucent, which typically takes about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure they’re coated evenly. This step is crucial for that syrupy goodness that’ll keep your gummy slices soft.

After the simmering process, you can choose how to store your lemon slices. If you want to keep them soft and syrupy, simply let them cool in the pot and refrigerate them in their syrup. This way, they’ll stay chewy and tasty for longer. If you’d rather have a classic candy, strain the peels from the syrup and allow them to dry on a wire rack. Once dry, toss them in a bit of sugar for added sweetness and store them in an airtight container at room temperature.