Candied fruits - the forgotten delicacy, very popular 100 more years is undeserved. Our great-grandmothers were able to cook candied fruits from all vegetables and fruit, and even from water-melon crusts.
Candied fruits from water-melon crusts
Ripe watermelons with a thick crust will be suitable for preparation of candied fruits. Water-melon crusts it is necessary to wash up, cut off carefully the top green thin skin 1.5 mm thick and to scrape out red pulp to a firm white layer. After that cut the prepared peel on cubes with a length of edge of 1.5 cm and place for 2 hours in solution of aluminum alum (1 g on 1 l) waters for strengthening (it is possible to buy alum in pharmacies). Then wash crusts with cold water, lay in a colander and blanch 5 minutes in the boiling water to which citric acid is added (2 g of acid on liter). After scalding wash out crusts in cold water, lay out in the enameled basin or a pan with a wide bottom and fill in with hot syrup (1.2 kg of sugar on 0.3 l of water).
Boil thoroughly crusts of 15 minutes on weak fire and leave in syrup for 10 hours. Repeat the procedure 2 more times. Before the third cooking add 3 g of citric acid to syrup and you cook until ready (the drop of syrup doesn't spread on a silver platter). At the end of cooking it is possible to add 0.5 g of vanillin. Merge syrup in other pan through a colander and leave crusts for 1.5 hours for running off. Lay out candied fruits in one layer on a sieve and dry in to oven at a temperature not higher than 40 degrees or indoors within 3 days. After that roll in candied fruits in granulated sugar and finally dry during the same time. Ready candied fruits store in clean dry banks a baking plate kapron covers. Water-melon syrup can be given to tea or to use in pastries.
Candied fruits from a melon
Melons for preparation of candied fruits necessary to choose not too ripe, with dense pulp. Cut a melon, clean it from the seed camera and a peel and cut on cubes 2-3 cm long. Blanch 5 minutes in the boiling water, then cool. Fill in melon pieces with hot syrup (1.2 kg of sugar and 0.5 l of water on 1 kg of melons) and leave for 10 hours. Then boil thoroughly 10-15 minutes. It is necessary to cook candied fruits from a melon in 3 receptions 10-15 minutes, keeping in syrup between cookings within 10 hours. At the end of 3-1 cooking add 3 g of citric acid and a little vanillin to syrup. It is possible to dry ready candied fruits the same as candied fruits from water-melon crusts.