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Glaceed or Candied Fruits and Peels
Two different methods; one takes 14 days, the other is quicker.
| Traditional Fourteen Day Method |
Basic candied fruit or peel |
Here is the traditional 14 day method for glaceeing fruit and peel of all kinds. If you do make peel, be sure to boil it for eight to ten minutes in fresh water before glazing- three times for orange or tangerine peel,four times for lemon or grapefruit. This makes it tender. Then gently scrape out the white pith. Otherwise, it is too bitter. Lime peel does not make such a tasty candied peel, and many folks don't care too much for grapefruit, either.
Put the washed and stoned cherries into a saucepan, cover them with water, bring to the boil and cook them for 4 minutes. Strain the cherries, keeping the liquid in a saucepan. Spread the cherries into a deep dish (just enough space for syrup between each cherry, and syrup covers the fruit when you pour it back on).
Measure and stir together:
Heat slowly until the sugar dissolves, then add the food coloring, bring the syrup to the boil and pour it over the cherries. Leave them in the syrup for 24 hours at room temperature. If the syrup does not cover, make more; the fruit MUST be covered.
Days 2-6
The next day strain the cherries again, put the syrup in a saucepan. Stir 1/4 c sugar into the syrup and bring to the boil. Pour the syrup over the cherries again and leave them in the syrup for 24 hours. Repeat this process for another 4 days. {yes, you add sugar to the syrup each day}
No task on day 7.
On the 8th day, drain the cherries, add 1/4 c sugarto the syrup and bring to the boil. Add the cherries to the syrup and cook them over low heat for 3-4 minutes, then pour them into the deep dish and leave them undisturbed for 48 hours.
No task on day 9.
On the 10th day, repeat the process of the 8th day and leave the cherries to soak in the syrup for another 4 days.
On the 14th day, drain the cherries and place them on a rack to dry.
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Fast candied cherries or fruit
Here is an easy method to make them yourself- big savings, too. Just be sure to drain well before using in biscotti or fruitcake.
Caution:
Apricots are the trickiest to glace and here are my suggestions:
Use slightly underripe apricots, they are firmer.
Pop or take the pit out from the top or bottom without splitting the apricot in half. The intact skin helps keep the apricot whole.
Use the slow method.
If you do try the fast method, boil the syrup for about half the time before you put in the fruit.
In a non-reactive saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil. Add the cherries and the lemon half. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the syrup is red and slightly thick, about 20 minutes. Cover and let stand 2-3 hours, or overnight.
Strain the cherries, reserving the syrup, and set cherries aside. Discard the lemon half and add the apple juice to the syrup. Bring the syrup to a hard boil and cook for 5 minutes. Return the cherries to the syrup, reduce the heat and cook slowly until the syrup is thick, to about 220 degrees if you are using a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and cool. The cherries can be stored for at least six months covered in the refrigerator.