Candied fruits: don't get ripped off
Do you like candied fruit? You might like to nibble a handful or add it to a recipe, like a classic fruit cake or delicious Italian specialities like panettone or sicilian epiphany pie.
Last modified on: June 21th 2017
Candied fruits: don't get ripped off
So, if you enjoy them and you want to make a recipe that asks for them, you will probably go to buy them in a supermarket. If you do, you may well find a temptingly priced tub or packet of gaudily coloured little cubes labelled "candied fruit" or "rainbow mix" that looks like this:
But there's a (big) problem here: these sweet little dice are anything but genuine candied fruit. At best they might be melon; at worst, turnip or swede that has had its flavour chemically neutralised before being dyed and sweetened. The real scandal is that they can be sold as "candied fruit". If you read the label – in very small print, of course – you will see that the first ingredient in the list is "Turnip"…
Industrial cakes and desserts "with candied fruit” contain tons of this stuff, and they usually taste pretty dreadful. The only flavour in these coloured bits is their sweetness.
True candied fruits, worthy of the name, can be any of a whole variety of real fruit left to soak up sugar in a lengthy process: oranges, lemons, angelica, other citrus fruit, cherries, strawberries, etc. Recipes shouldn't just say "add the dried fruit", but should specify (for example) "add the candied orange peel, cut into small dice". This is more expensive, obviously, but quality and flavour come at a price.
Let's not forget that in France, like in Italy and Greece, candied fruits are a real tradition and the skilled craft of preparing them is still alive and well, notably in Provence.
So, can you make your own candied fruit at home? Replying in the great tradition of French diplomacy, I would say, "well, yes and no". No, because it is a lengthy and complicated process which demands real artisan's skills. But, on the other hand, it is fairly easy to prepare the delightful little treats known as "orangettes", made from strips of orange peel (or you can use grapefruit). It takes rather a long time, but the results are well worth it. You can see how to do it here.
To sum up: if you want to use candied fruit in a recipe, leave the awful industrial diced turnip on the shelf. Dig a little deeper into your pocket and opt for high-quality artisanal candied fruit, which you can always dice yourself.
But there's a (big) problem here: these sweet little dice are anything but genuine candied fruit. At best they might be melon; at worst, turnip or swede that has had its flavour chemically neutralised before being dyed and sweetened. The real scandal is that they can be sold as "candied fruit". If you read the label – in very small print, of course – you will see that the first ingredient in the list is "Turnip"…
Industrial cakes and desserts "with candied fruit” contain tons of this stuff, and they usually taste pretty dreadful. The only flavour in these coloured bits is their sweetness.
True candied fruits, worthy of the name, can be any of a whole variety of real fruit left to soak up sugar in a lengthy process: oranges, lemons, angelica, other citrus fruit, cherries, strawberries, etc. Recipes shouldn't just say "add the dried fruit", but should specify (for example) "add the candied orange peel, cut into small dice". This is more expensive, obviously, but quality and flavour come at a price.
Let's not forget that in France, like in Italy and Greece, candied fruits are a real tradition and the skilled craft of preparing them is still alive and well, notably in Provence.
So, can you make your own candied fruit at home? Replying in the great tradition of French diplomacy, I would say, "well, yes and no". No, because it is a lengthy and complicated process which demands real artisan's skills. But, on the other hand, it is fairly easy to prepare the delightful little treats known as "orangettes", made from strips of orange peel (or you can use grapefruit). It takes rather a long time, but the results are well worth it. You can see how to do it here.
To sum up: if you want to use candied fruit in a recipe, leave the awful industrial diced turnip on the shelf. Dig a little deeper into your pocket and opt for high-quality artisanal candied fruit, which you can always dice yourself.
Lasts posts
Should potatoes be washed twice?
Let's say you have to make a recipe that includes potatoes, let's say sliced, you'll most likely proceed as follows: Peel the potatoes, wash them, slice them, wash them again, pat them dry and add them to your recipe. But there's a "but": depending on the recipe, the second washing may be a bad...May 19th 20251,972 15
Grilled bacon is much better in the oven
Some recipes call for thin slices of bacon to be cooked and added to the recipe, or to prepare one of those delicious breakfasts known as "à l'Anglaise".April 25th 20251,8905
The thermometer is your friend
There are many recipes or foods that require a (very) precise cooking temperature: foie gras, sugar for caramel, meats and fish, and not forgetting pastries. For these few examples, getting the cooking temperature wrong can spoil the whole recipe or dish: undercooked, it's no good or misses the...April 10th 20252,2175
Travel cakes
You may have come across the term "travel cakes" ("gateaux de voyage" in french) for certain pastries, so let's take a look at what they're all about.January 27th 20253,682
The aromatic power of sugar
In the kitchen, sugar doesn't just sweeten, it also has an exceptional ability to capture flavors. Combined with aromatic ingredients, such as citrus zest, it acts as a veritable sponge for aromas. By taking the time to let the sugar soak up the flavors, you can transform your desserts, making...December 25th 20244,1305
Other pages you may also like
The beautiful story of the croissants
As you may have already noticed, cooking, baking and pastry-making are full of stories or legends, usually very romantic, about this or that product or recipe. This is often the case for named recipes, for example tarte tatin, peach melba, paris-brest and many others, but it also applies to very...October 10th 201816 K5
Steam for baking bread
What does steam have to do with bread-making? This is not only a bakers' secret, it is something you might not think of at all: if you make bread and bake it like a cake, you will end up with bread, but pale and with a thick, hard crust – a long way from the golden-brown crusty loaf you had in...June 16th 2021141 K4.5
What is the difference between bakery and patisserie?
This is a question that you may well have asked yourself and which I will attempt to answer. In France the two trades of "boulangerie" (bakery) and "pâtisserie" (patisserie and confectionery) have always been quite distinct, but where exactly do the boundaries lie? .February 7th 2017129 K 14.1
Kitchen ovens
You certainly have one in your kitchen, an oven, the essential tool for all kinds of cooking, whether in the kitchen of course, but also in pastry, bakery, pizza, and many others. Here is some information on its structure and operation.May 16th 202029 K4.4
The return of the "Norman hole"
You maybe know the "trou normand", this old gastronomic custom typically French which consists in taking a (small) glass of calvados, generally between the last course and the dessert? It's something that seems a bit anachronistic nowadays, having a glass of an alcohol of more than 60° in the...December 18th 202111 K4.8
Follow this page
If you are interested in this page, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the page is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.
The 2 comments already posted on this page