Alright, let’s talk about making that candied fruit for fruitcake. It’s something I’ve done quite a few times, and honestly, it beats the store-bought stuff hands down, even if it takes a bit of patience.
Getting Started
First thing I did was figure out what fruit I wanted to use. I usually go for a mix. This time, I grabbed some oranges, lemons (mostly for the peel), some pineapple chunks I had canned, and a handful of cherries. You gotta make sure the fruit is firm, otherwise it just turns to mush later.
So, I gathered everything:
- The fruit I picked out.
- Sugar. Lots of sugar. Like, equal parts sugar and water, maybe even a bit more sugar.
- Water.
- A big pot. Bigger than you think you need, trust me.
Prep Work
Next up, prep. I washed everything real good. For the citrus, the oranges and lemons, I was mainly after the peel. I scored the skin and peeled it off in thick pieces, trying to get as little of the white pith as possible because that stuff is bitter. Then I sliced the peel into strips, maybe a quarter-inch wide. The pineapple chunks were already good to go. The cherries? I just pitted them and left them whole.
Some folks blanch the citrus peel first to get rid of bitterness. I sometimes do, sometimes don’t. This time I boiled the peels in plain water for about 10 minutes, drained them, and did it again. Seemed to help.
The Simmering Part
Okay, now for the main event. I made the sugar syrup. In my big pot, I combined equal parts water and sugar. Let’s say 4 cups of water and 4 cups of sugar to start. Stirred it over medium heat until the sugar completely dissolved. You don’t want grainy syrup.
Once the sugar was dissolved, I brought the syrup to a gentle boil. Then, I carefully added the fruit. Started with the citrus peels and pineapple because they take longer. You gotta lower the heat right away to just a bare simmer. Seriously, keep it low. You’re not trying to cook the fruit fast; you want the sugar to slowly replace the water in the fruit. That’s the whole point.
I let the citrus and pineapple simmer for a good hour, maybe longer. You watch it. The peels should start looking kind of translucent. Then I added the cherries, they don’t need as long, maybe another 30 minutes.
You have to keep an eye on the pot. Stir gently now and then so nothing sticks and burns. If the syrup gets too thick or low, I sometimes add a tiny bit more hot water, but carefully.
Drying Them Out
Once the fruit looked glassy and translucent, it was time to get them out. I used a slotted spoon and lifted the fruit pieces out of the syrup, letting as much drip off as possible. Don’t throw that syrup away! It’s amazing on pancakes or ice cream.
I laid the sticky fruit pieces out in a single layer on wire racks. Make sure they aren’t touching too much. I put some baking paper or foil underneath the racks because, yeah, they drip. A lot.
Then comes the waiting game. They need to dry. This can take a day, maybe two, sometimes even longer depending on how humid it is. I just leave them out on the counter, maybe loosely covered with a clean tea towel if I’m worried about dust. Some people roll them in granulated sugar at this point for that classic candied look, but I skipped that this time. I wanted them less sweet on the outside.
You’ll know they’re ready when they are firm to the touch and not overly sticky, kind of like gummy candies but denser.
All Done
And that’s pretty much it. Once they were dry enough, I chopped the larger pieces like the pineapple and citrus peel into smaller bits suitable for the fruitcake. I stored them in an airtight container, layering them between sheets of wax paper so they don’t stick together into one giant lump. They keep for ages like this, ready for when I get the urge to bake that cake.
It’s a bit of a process, sure, takes time. But doing it yourself, you know exactly what’s in it, and the flavor is just so much better. Worth the effort in my book.
