If the term candied
fruit suggests to you nothing more than tasteless cherries used to
decorate the top of a cake, it is about time that you got to your
nearest bakery store and tried the ones that are out nowadays. The
variety of fruit available now is a certainly more interesting and
a lot tastier to boot. Gone are the days of sticking a couple of
candied cherries on top of a fruitcake.
It is even possible to
make your own candied fruit which can be used as garnishes or
snacks in their own right. It is a very simple process to make them
which is as easy as infusing citrus peelings in sugar syrup. It is
possible to use candy orange, orange and lemon peel, grapefruit
peel, pineapple and fresh cherries. It is also possible to use
candy fruits such as the carrot used for carrot cake.
Basic equipment needs
include two saucepans – one for the syrup and one for the
fruit. Below you will find the recipe for candied orange
peel.
A Simple Syrup
This syrup can also be
used for adding flavor to cold drinks and adding moisture to a
sponge cake. Thin simple syrup is made up of 1 part sugar to 2
parts water; this is usually applied to sponge cakes for moisture
and sweetness. Medium syrup is made up of equal parts of sugar and
water and is perfect for adding sweetness to drinks such as iced
coffee. Syrup made up of 2 parts sugar and 1 part water is used as
a base for sorbet, and also ideal for making rock candy.
For the candied fruit,
boil equal parts of sugar and water in a medium saucepan making
sure that the sugar has dissolved. If you want to flavor the syrup,
vanilla is the best choice.
The next step is to
remove the top and bottom of an orange and slice the peel off in
strips – following the curve as best you can. You can either candy
the peel as it is or cut it into much smaller strips so that it
becomes garnish for cake decorations. You can also dip it in
chocolate if you wish.
Put the peel in a pan
of cool water and bring to a rolling boil. Remove the water from
the heat and place the peel in a colander – Repeat this again two
more times. Cherry and pineapple do not need to be blanched, while
grapefruit peel will have to be blanched for a lot longer. You can
taste the peel to see if it has been blanched enough and when you
feel it is right, place the peel into the pot of syrup and simmer
for 15 to 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and
cool. You can keep the rind in this syrup for weeks in the fridge.
The remainder of the orange flavored syrup can be used in drinks or
other dishes so you do not have to waste anything!
