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Fruits confits
Candied citrus fruit
Fruits confits: home-candied clementines and orange peel from Provence
Candied fruit is a speciality of Apt in the Vaucluse, the world capital of fruits confits, and a bowl of glistening candied clementines, melon and orange peel is one of the thirteen desserts of Christmas Eve in Provence. Home candying takes several days of patient simmering in syrup, but very little work each day. The common mistake is boiling the fruit hard, which toughens it. Chef's tip: increase the sugar a little each day so it soaks in slowly to the centre.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 6 small clementineswhole, washed
- 3 oranges orange peel, in thick strips
- 2 ¼ lb sugarused over 4 days
- 3 ¼ cups water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Prick the 6 small clementines all over with a needle. Blanch them and the 3 oranges orange peel, in thick strips in boiling water for 10 minutes, drain, and repeat with fresh water to remove bitterness.
20 minStep 2: Bring the 3 ¼ cups water and 500 g of the 2 ¼ lb sugar to the boil with the 1 tbsp lemon juice, add the fruit, simmer very gently for 15 minutes, then take off the heat and leave covered overnight.
15 minStep 3: Each day for 3 more days, lift out the fruit, add 150 g more sugar to the syrup, bring to the boil, put the fruit back and simmer very gently for 15 minutes, then leave overnight.
60 minStep 4: On the last day, drain the fruit and dry it on a rack for 1–2 days until no longer sticky. Keep in a tin for a month.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fruits confits take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
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