Candied fruit, crystallized fruit or glacé fruit, has been a popular fruit preservation method dating back to the 14th century. The general principle is to boil the fruit, steep it in increasingly strong sugar solutions and then dry out all the remaining water. Depending on the size and the type of fruit used, the process can take from several days to several months. The continual drenching of fruit in syrup replaces the fruit’s water content with sugar to prevent spoilage.
The following recipe requires little actual preparation and the candied fruit is ready to use in 14 to 15 days. You will need about 1/2 kg or roughly 1 pound of prepared, fresh, ripe but firm fruit, water and sugar. Do not mix fruits, candy each type of fruit separately. *May use peeled, sliced and cored pineapple; halved, skinned and stoned peaches, nectarines or apricots; halved and stoned plums; stoned cherries, even carrot slices can be candied.
Candied fruit can be used in torts, sweet breads, cookies, or decorating such. Rolled into sugar and then boxed, candied fruit makes a fine confectionery gift.
CANDIED FRUIT
1/2 kg prepared fruit of choice*
2-1/2 cups boiling water
3-2/3 cups sugar to be added gradually
Day 1:
• Place the fruit and water in a pan and cook fruit until just tender.
• Drain off the syrup, reserving 2 cups.
• Place the fruit in a heatproof bowl.
• Pour the reserved syrup back into the saucepan and add 1-1/4 cups of sugar.
• Heat and stir until sugar is dissolved.
• Bring to boil and then pour over the fruit.
• Cover the bowl and fruit soak for 24 hours.
Days 2–7:
• Each day, strain the syrup into a saucepan, leaving the fruit in the bowl.
• Add 1/4 cup of sugar to the syrup and heat until sugar dissolves completely.
• Bring syrup to boil and pour over the fruit.
• Cover the bowl and leave for 24 hours.
Day 8:
• Strain the syrup into a saucepan.
• Add 1/3 cup of the sugar and heat until sugar dissolves completely.
• Add the fruit, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
• Return the fruit and syrup to the bowl and cover.
Day 9: Do nothing
Day 10: Repeat of Day 8.
Days 11-13:
• Leave the fruit in the syrup. Syrup will be very thick and heavy.
Day 14:
• The fruit has been in thick syrup for 4 days. Drain the fruit well. Do not discard the syrup; there are many uses for it. The peach syrup I have left for instance will be added to the plums I will be preserving next.
• Roll the fruit into sugar and place on a wax paper lined tray to dry.
• Keep candied fruit in a cardboard box lined with wax paper, because mould could form if placed in an airtight container.
3-2/3 cups sugar to be added gradually
Day 1:
• Place the fruit and water in a pan and cook fruit until just tender.
• Drain off the syrup, reserving 2 cups.
• Place the fruit in a heatproof bowl.
• Pour the reserved syrup back into the saucepan and add 1-1/4 cups of sugar.
• Heat and stir until sugar is dissolved.
• Bring to boil and then pour over the fruit.
• Cover the bowl and fruit soak for 24 hours.
Days 2–7:
• Each day, strain the syrup into a saucepan, leaving the fruit in the bowl.
• Add 1/4 cup of sugar to the syrup and heat until sugar dissolves completely.
• Bring syrup to boil and pour over the fruit.
• Cover the bowl and leave for 24 hours.
Day 8:
• Strain the syrup into a saucepan.
• Add 1/3 cup of the sugar and heat until sugar dissolves completely.
• Add the fruit, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
• Return the fruit and syrup to the bowl and cover.
Day 9: Do nothing
Day 10: Repeat of Day 8.
Days 11-13:
• Leave the fruit in the syrup. Syrup will be very thick and heavy.
Day 14:
• The fruit has been in thick syrup for 4 days. Drain the fruit well. Do not discard the syrup; there are many uses for it. The peach syrup I have left for instance will be added to the plums I will be preserving next.
• Roll the fruit into sugar and place on a wax paper lined tray to dry.
• Keep candied fruit in a cardboard box lined with wax paper, because mould could form if placed in an airtight container.
day 1
day 4
day 8
day 14
