COOKING IN: Candied fruit is delicious and easy, writes Hugo Arnold
The table was groaning with excess - sultanas, golden raisins, Amorena (black) cherries from Italy, dark prunes, whole pears and crystallised ginger. Centre stage was a box of the most magnificent glacé mandarins. Like mini suns, they sat resplendent, waiting for action.
There are tables similar to this one springing up in specialist shops, as we gear up for the festive season. The table I described sits in Cavistons, in south Co Dublin, but Peter Ward is doing the same sort of thing at his shop, Country Choice, in Nenagh, and doubtless there are others.
Glacé fruit is as ancient way of preserving summer's bounty. There is a world of difference between artisan candied fruit and what is sold as such in tubs in supermarkets. If you are going to go to the trouble of making sweetmeats, it pays to ensure they taste good. A cake made from the Amorena cherries was a huge success, and when I turned the leftover cherries into ice-cream, my wife hailed it as being on a par with a certain Ben and Jerry's version.
The idea of making your own candied fruit may seem like a step too far. But it really is very easy. And it is unbelievable how much more flavour is delivered by the fruit if you source it well and make it yourself. You can do a number of different fruits at one time. Put whatever fruit you are intending to use into a saucepan, cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer until it is tender (30-40 minutes). Drain the fruit, cover with fresh boiling water and boil for a further 20 minutes and strain again.
Heat 300g of caster sugar with 150ml of water - this should be sufficient for the peel from six oranges or a couple of grapefruit. If you want to use whole fruit, such as whole mandarins, you may need to double or treble the sugar syrup quantities. Simmer until the syrup has almost evaporated. Arrange the fruit on a tray and leave it to dry in an airing cupboard. This can take several days. If you want to dust your finished fruit in granulated sugar, toss it in a bag until it is well coated.