Glacé, Crystalized, Candied DIY

[Saffy]

I would love to be able to make Glacé fruit and or vegetables at home. Looking around there seem to be a variety of techniques some taking only 30 minutes ( boiling in a thick sugar syrup for peels) or taking up to a month slowly creating a stronger syrup each night and ending up with a glazed product as opposed to a crystalised product.

Has anyone tried this ? What was sucessfull? What did not work so well, has anyone tried candying something unusual ? I believe you can do this to carrots and watermelon rind.

I am really looking forward to hearing from anyone that has done this and knowing how and what fruit - veges you used

[lexy]

I've tried candying both ginger and citrus with the first method you mention (cooking in sugar syrup for about an hour). The results were good, but not great, so if anyone has a different method, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

[aprilmei]

The only thing I've made other than candied peel are marrons glaces. I attempted them twice and they're very time consuming (although the work itself wasn't difficult) and the results were not that great - never again. No wonder they're so expensive. I'd rather leave it up to the experts.

[andiesenji]

I candy a lot of ginger, in big batches, using crockpots for smaller batches and a large electric roaster for big batches (10 pounds and more).

My recipe has been on this site: MelindaLee for a couple of years.

also on the site is my method of making glacé whole (or sliced) fruits. This is a very time-consuming process but there is a reason for it. The larger the piece of fruit, the longer it takes for the sugar syrup to penetrate to the center and this has to be done or the unprocessed part will rot.

Heating drives the moisture out of the fruit and the cooling lets the syrup penetrate step by step.

Glacé fruit.

Important caveat! Do not try to use limes - they will turn an ugly gray. Also do one type of fruit at a time, do not mix, otherwise you will get some very odd colors.

Another person posted a recipe for candied figs on Melinda's site.

Melinda has an excellent radio show, which can be heard online, at KNX 1070, Los Angeles.

Radio show.

Candied peel can be made in the microwave in small batches. I have been working on a photo essay on this but do not yet have it fully operational.

Here is the text:

Microwave candied citrus peel, small batch.

Cut off top and bottom of orange or other citrus. (This works for two medium to large oranges, three or four lemons, or one large grapefruit.

Using a round-tip spoon, (like a soup spoon) slide the dip downward between the flesh and the rind, working your way around the fruit, then turn it upside-down and repeat the process until the rind is completely loose from the flesh.

You want both the colored skin and the white part.

On one side make a vertical cut and remove the rind from the fruit.

Flatten the strip of rind on a cutting board and cut into 1/4 inch strips.

Place the strips into a Pyrex measurer, 1 quart or larger.

Fill to within 2 inches of the top, there should be a lot more water than citrus rind.

Microwave for 10 minutes.

Drain the water off and add fresh water

Microwave for another 10 minutes

Drain that water and add fresh water

Microwave for 10 minutes.

Drain and set aside.

Rinse the Pyrex container and to it add 1 1/2 cups water and 1 cup sugar.

Microwave for 3 minutes - it will start to bubble up.

Add the peel to the syrup and microwave for 5 minutes.

WATCH IT.

If it starts to boil over stop the microwave.

If you have a larger, 2-quart Pyrex measure, use that instead of the quart.

Stir the peel, return to the microwave and microwave for another 5 minutes.

Let the peel cool down for at least 30 minutes.

Now microwave again for two 5 minutes sessions.

Pick a couple of pieces out of the syrup and drain it on a wire grid until it is cool.

If the white part has colored and become translucent, it should be done.

If the peel is exceptionally thick, as with some navel oranges and most grapefruit, it can be cooked in the syrup for additional 5 minute sessions until it reaches the point where it is translucent all the way through.

Taste it. If it tastes okay, place all the pieces on the drying rack and let it dry until it is just tacky, then toss it in granulated sugar. It dries faster if you have a fan blowing on it.

Save the syrup, it has many uses. It can be used to candy additional peel, sliced ginger, dried peppers (hot or mild), in tea, in mixed drinks, in salad dressings, particularly for fruit salads and of course, over ice cream. In the refrigerator it will keep indefinitely. If it crystallizes, it only needs to be heated to re-liquefy.

Edited September 17, 2005 by andiesenji (log)

[Saffy]

Those are fantastic tips! It sounds like I need to set aside some time and give it a try. The method on the Melinda Lee Page sounds similar to one I was reading elsewhere.

I keep looking at the beautiful crystalised fruit and peels in our Local Gourmet food supplies shop and wanting to buy some of them, but refusing to pay the exorbitant amount that they are asking for them.

It sounds like with Christmas not too far away that I should get on to it now.

Edited September 17, 2005 by Saffy (log)

[rickster]

I've had prettry good success doing candied peel in about 2 hours on the stove top, but have been experimenting recently with candying pineapple (hopefully for inclusion in fruitcake) and things have not turned out well. My guess is it needs something like the crockpot method to work.

[andiesenji]

I've had prettry good success doing candied peel in about 2 hours on the stove top, but have been experimenting recently with candying pineapple (hopefully for inclusion in fruitcake) and things have not turned out well. My guess is it needs something like the crockpot method to work.

←

You cannot candy fresh pineapple.

Get the dried pineapple that is not treated with sugar - you can usually find it in health food stores.

Otherwise dehydrate it yourself on a rack in a very low oven.

Steam it first to rehydrate it - this way it does not soak up as much water as soaking will do and it is much more rapid.

Then put it in syrup in a crockpot on low and leave it there until it is completely translucent - if is 1/2 inch thick, it will take at least two days, maybe longer. Allow it to dry until it is no longer tacky. If it stays tacky you can always dust it with rice flour but you lose the shiny appearance, however it won't stick together.

Edited September 17, 2005 by andiesenji (log)

[Wendy DeBord]

I wanted wanted to jump in here because I can vouch the quality of Andiesenji's skill in candying ginger............it's excellent! It stores exceptionally well too.

One day we'll get a demo on this topic, I predict it will be worth waiting for............

[tejon]

I'll second the praise for Andie's candied ginger! Her glacéed fruits are just as delicious and just as perfectly made.

[ladyyoung98]

ok ive got a question for you folks as well.....at trader joes you can purchase cinnamon almonds..and at central market you can purchase cinnamon pecans as well as other nuts that have a nice hard candy cinnamon shell....i have tried to duplicate this without any success..so my guess is that im just not doign it right.... so...any body have any ideas on how to do that ..as im sure its not done the same as for candied frutis...id like to be able to duplicare as these items are just too damend expensive to buy and as we all know..many times cheaper to just make..especially when one has access to a pecan tree where i live

[Saffy]

I love those nuts too! The ones I like are mixed nuts with a sweet and spicy coating, and yes they cost the earth!

Most of the ones I have tried at home just just don't measure up to the purchased variety and I refuse to believe that there are commercial products that cannot be duplicated in a smaller kitchen just as well.

[andiesenji]

I am again going to send you back to Melinda Lee's web site:

Nuts, candied, glazed, spiced and etc.

I make salt-glazed pecans (or walnuts) with just a hint of sugar.

I can't give you exact measurements because I always just eyeball it.

I add water to a large skillet until it is about 1/2 inch deep and put it over medium heat. When bubbles start to form on the bottom I add about 1/4 cup of kosher salt and bring it to a boil, stirring well to make sure all the salt has dissolved.

When the liquid is boiling rapidly I pour in a cup or so of pecan halves, stir, then sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of sugar (granulated maple sugar if you can find it) over the pecans, stir again and let the mixture boil for a minute. Then pour the nuts into a colander and drain. I spread them on a sheet pan, on parchment paper and place in the oven at 200 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, or until they are dry and crisp. Fat, large pecans and walnuts may take a little longer. They should break easily when you pinch them with your fingers.

Cool completely and store in a glass jar with a tight lid. Do NOT store in a plastic bag!

However, I have found that they don't really last long enough to worry about storage.

Edited September 18, 2005 by andiesenji (log)

[Saffy]

Could you use cashews and or macadamias like this too ? Would the same technique work?

Just an aside.. walnuts are very cheap here but pecans .. wow are they expensive. A cup of pecans would cost around $7.00

[rickster]

You cannot candy fresh pineapple.

Thanks for the advice! I won't waste my money on any more fresh pineapples but will try the dried when I get a chance.

[helenjp]

I've tried both methods. I started out using a method similar to the one on andiesenji's glace fruit links with this difference: each day when the syrup is reheated, additional sugar equivalent (weight) to 15-20% of the volume of syrup is added. This is supposed to raise the brix level of the syrup by 2 degrees (hope "degrees" is what you say in English, my recipe is a French one from a Japanese book on traditional French sweets). You remove the fruit before boiling up the stronger syrup, then return the fruit and turn off and leave overnight. This method takes about 10 days. In the end, you make up a separate batch of a lighter syrup (about 20 Brix - anybody know if this is the same as simple syrup??). This step prevents the heavy crusting of sugar you would otherwise get with glace fruits.

Points: This most definitely produces a fresh flavor with very little bitterness. It does take a long time, but the other day, my husband tossed the syrup while I was draining the fruit, after about 3-4 days. The grapefruit peel was still a little spongy, and probably wouldn't have kept for a long period, but it worked perfectly in chufi's thick spicy cookies!

N.B. My Japanese-French recipe shows a variety of fruits *including a whole, unpeeled pineapple complete with crown* being candied by the method given above! I've tried it using canned pineapple - it was OK for fun, but of course, that pineapple is cooked before you meet it.

Since this is undoubtedly a bother, today I tried the "simmer in syrup till syrup almost gone" method for peel. It looks like candied peel - and tastes like marmalade. There is no way to disguise the fact that the fruit has been well cooked - much less aroma. It's OK...if you've never tasted the products of the first method!

[cookman]

I candy a lot of ginger, in big batches, using crockpots for smaller batches and a large electric roaster for big batches (10 pounds and more).

The last time I tried to make candied orange peel (with pith left on), I used a crock pot. While I agree that the crock pot makes it easy to cook the peel slowly for long periods of time, I kept having problems with "hot spots" in the pot that were clearly running hotter than other areas (even when cooking on the low setting). The fruit in certain parts of the pot started to burn. As a result, I felt that I needed to stir the peels to keep the heat better distributed. Even doing this carefully, however, I still got a lot of broken peels.

Is the problem that I need to get another crock pot? Do you find you need to stir your peels? Other suggestions?

[andiesenji]

I candy a lot of ginger, in big batches, using crockpots for smaller batches and a large electric roaster for big batches (10 pounds and more).

The last time I tried to make candied orange peel (with pith left on), I used a crock pot. While I agree that the crock pot makes it easy to cook the peel slowly for long periods of time, I kept having problems with "hot spots" in the pot that were clearly running hotter than other areas (even when cooking on the low setting). The fruit in certain parts of the pot started to burn. As a result, I felt that I needed to stir the peels to keep the heat better distributed. Even doing this carefully, however, I still got a lot of broken peels.

Is the problem that I need to get another crock pot? Do you find you need to stir your peels? Other suggestions?

←

I rarely stir them but if the peels clump up in one place I use a shallow skimmer or a silicone spatula and slide it under the fruit and turn it over and shift them around so they are evenly distributed in the syrup.

I haven't had problems with hot spots in the crockpots I use for candying - even the big electric roaster doesn't do this. The type I use are the ones that have the heating coils around the crock insert, not just on the bottom.

You might try placing an ovenproof plate or platter, depending on whether your crockpot is round or oval, upside down on the bottom of the crockpot. The syrup will still be heated the same way but the fruit will not touch the bottom of the crock.

Or, you can use a wire basket if you can find one that will fit in your crockpot. I do this when I candy whole kumquats, they are slipperly little devils during part of the cooking process and it is easier to keep them contained in a basket rather than have them slipping off a skimmer and bouncing onto the floor (or the toe of my shoe - which ruined a good pair of Uggs).

I found a round fryer basket with removable handle that just fits one of my round crockpots and even has little "feet" on the bottom so it is held up off the bottom.

Have you seen my "microwave candied citrus peel" it is in RecipeGullet. It is quick and fairly easy for small batches.

[Mottmott]

This looks like a perfect place to ask about my buddha's hand that I just bought. I was told it would last at least 2 weeks at cool room temperature, but one of the tiniest fingers has just gone moldy after only 3-4 days, so my schedule to candy it is speeded up.

Has anyone ever candied buddha's hand? I was wondering if it is possible to do the "fingers" intact. Also as they are such different sizes, I assume that I'd take them out of the syrup in stages from small to large. Or must I cut them up and remove the fruit. And, for the record is there any use for the fruit pulp?

I have candied orange peel and grapefruit peel using method that take different lengths of time. I think the 3 day version I did yielded better candies. I think if I were just candying them to use in cooking, I'd use the quick method

edited to add I've made watermelon rind, too, using Joy of Cooking recipe. Love, love, love watermelon rind.

Edited December 11, 2005 by Mottmott (log)

[cookman]

I candy a lot of ginger, in big batches, using crockpots for smaller batches and a large electric roaster for big batches (10 pounds and more).

The last time I tried to make candied orange peel (with pith left on), I used a crock pot. While I agree that the crock pot makes it easy to cook the peel slowly for long periods of time, I kept having problems with "hot spots" in the pot that were clearly running hotter than other areas (even when cooking on the low setting). The fruit in certain parts of the pot started to burn. As a result, I felt that I needed to stir the peels to keep the heat better distributed. Even doing this carefully, however, I still got a lot of broken peels.

Is the problem that I need to get another crock pot? Do you find you need to stir your peels? Other suggestions?

←

I rarely stir them but if the peels clump up in one place I use a shallow skimmer or a silicone spatula and slide it under the fruit and turn it over and shift them around so they are evenly distributed in the syrup.

I haven't had problems with hot spots in the crockpots I use for candying - even the big electric roaster doesn't do this. The type I use are the ones that have the heating coils around the crock insert, not just on the bottom.

You might try placing an ovenproof plate or platter, depending on whether your crockpot is round or oval, upside down on the bottom of the crockpot. The syrup will still be heated the same way but the fruit will not touch the bottom of the crock.

Or, you can use a wire basket if you can find one that will fit in your crockpot. I do this when I candy whole kumquats, they are slipperly little devils during part of the cooking process and it is easier to keep them contained in a basket rather than have them slipping off a skimmer and bouncing onto the floor (or the toe of my shoe - which ruined a good pair of Uggs).

I found a round fryer basket with removable handle that just fits one of my round crockpots and even has little "feet" on the bottom so it is held up off the bottom.

Have you seen my "microwave candied citrus peel" it is in RecipeGullet. It is quick and fairly easy for small batches.

←

andiesenji,

Thanks for all of the helpful suggestions. I never thought of using an electric roaster for making candied peels. Since these machines actually allow you to set a temperature, it seems that they might be easier to control the temp with some precision. Am I right?

I have tried your microwave technique for small quantities, and it works very well!

[andiesenji]

The electric roasters I have are all very old, one was my grandmother's, bought in 1949, one is from the '50s and the other I bought new in 1968 (it is harvest gold so the era is pretty evident)

The temp controls are pretty good but the ones now available have much better controls. A friend got one because she has a tiny stove but likes to make up big batches of chili for football and soccer tailgate parties and finds the roaster is ideal.

She also wanted to try her hand at making jam this past summer and used it for cooking the fruit and was thrilled with the result.

I think they are very versatile, most people just don't think of them as simply a giant crockpot cooker............

[andiesenji]

This looks like a perfect place to ask about my buddha's hand that I just bought. I was told it would last at least 2 weeks at cool room temperature, but one of the tiniest fingers has just gone moldy after only 3-4 days, so my schedule to candy it is speeded up.

Has anyone ever candied buddha's hand? I was wondering if it is possible to do the "fingers" intact. Also as they are such different sizes, I assume that I'd take them out of the syrup in stages from small to large. Or must I cut them up and remove the fruit.  And, for the record is there any use for the fruit pulp?

I have candied orange peel and grapefruit peel using method that take different lengths of time. I think the 3 day version I did yielded better candies. I think if I were just candying them to use in cooking, I'd use the quick method

edited to add I've made watermelon rind, too, using Joy of Cooking recipe. Love, love, love watermelon rind.

←

I haven't tried candying the whole fruit but have candied the rind. It is extremely aromatic and makes an excellent candied peel - it has a hint of citron and grapefruit flavor, more complex than either the regular lemons or the sweeter (and thinner-skinned) Meyer.

I did find that it needed some extra pre-cooking in water to be as tender as I like. As I recall, I cooked it for one additional session in plain water.

[andiesenji]

I'm bumping up this topic because the fruit I candied over the past couple of days is not a citrus.

I was given a sack of kiwi fruits and since they were just short of ripe, and I doubted I would be able to use them within the next week or so, I decided to try candying them.

First I sliced and dried them in the dehydrator - took photos but when I uploaded the pics from my camera to computer, I managed to discard the first set of pics.

However, I did save the later photos.

After they were dried, I steamed them for about 30 minutes to make it easier for the pieces to absorb the syrup.

I prepared the syrup and did all of the processing in the microwave in a large Pyrex bowl.

Here is a shot of the kiwi in the bowl of syrup after a total processing time of 3 hours over a period of 36 hours. Each session of heating lasted 20 minutes with cool down intervals that varied from two hours to overnight.

Here is the entire batch spread on a wire grid.

Here's a closeup to show the translucent appearance that indicates fruit is ready.

Another closeup that shows how the center part remains opaque and an end slice that is completely translucent.

[Darienne]

I'm bumping up this topic because the fruit I candied over the past couple of days is not a citrus.

I was given a sack of kiwi fruits and since they were just short of ripe, and I doubted I would be able to use them within the next week or so, I decided to try candying them.

First I sliced and dried them in the dehydrator - took photos but when I uploaded the pics from my camera to computer, I managed to discard the first set of pics.

However, I did save the later photos.

After they were dried, I steamed them for about 30 minutes to make it easier for the pieces to absorb the syrup.

I prepared the syrup and did all of the processing in the microwave in a large Pyrex bowl.

Here is a shot of the kiwi in the bowl of syrup after a total processing time of 3 hours over a period of 36 hours.  Each session of heating lasted 20 minutes with cool down intervals that varied from two hours to overnight. 

Another closeup that shows how the center part remains opaque and an end slice that is completely translucent.

←

Brava! Now, what will you do with them? And how did you get those nasty little peels off them?

[andiesenji]

Brava!    Now, what will you do with them?  And how did you get those nasty little peels off them?

←

They are intended for snacks - they are in the dehydrator and when just tacky will be tossed in granulated sugar, same as the ginger. I'm preparing stuff for a sojourn to Tempe, AZ in two weeks (a convention for Discworld fans) and am taking a supply of goodies for friends on the Terry Pratchett forum.

Like all thin-skinned fruits, tomatoes, peaches, etc., a brief dip in boiling water and into ice water will allow the skin to slip free quite easily.

I always wonder, when I see chefs on TV peeling kiwi fruit, why they don't use this method. Surely I am not the only person to have noticed that this works...

Edited August 16, 2009 by andiesenji (log)

[Kouign Aman]

Very pretty looking! How do they taste?

Were they the golden variant?

Why do you dry the kiwi and pineapple first?

Do you do this for all the juicy fruits, to prevent the water in the fruit from diluting the syrup?

Then why steam?