Want something to satisfy your craving for something sweet and sour? For the best candied ginger recipe, make it at home! Making your own delicious crystallized ginger is easy and requires only a few basic ingredients. You can adjust the amount of sugar and the consistency of the ginger when you make your own candied ginger.
Candy Ginger’s Enchanting Effects
Candies made from fresh ginger root, also known as candied ginger or crystallized ginger, are delicious. It goes through a transformation that renders it a sugary, chewy snack. The combination of the ginger’s heat and the sugar’s sweetness creates a flavor bomb.
However, candied ginger has some health benefits in addition to its delicious flavor. The digestive, anti-inflammatory, and nausea-calming effects of ginger have made it quite popular.
What You’ll Need to Make Candied Ginger at Home
It’s easy to make candied ginger at home with just a few staples:
- Ginger: If you’re going to use ginger, choose young ginger because it’s less fibrous and more tender. The flavor of organic ginger is considered to be the best.
- Sugar: White sugar is best for a brilliant hue, but brown and coconut sugar offer interesting flavor variations.
- Lemon: The zest and juice of a fresh lemon add a zesty refreshment and help maintain the ginger’s vibrant color.
- Vanilla: Adding a vanilla bean or vanilla extract is optional but can improve the candied ginger’s flavor.
- Water: For both the initial ginger cooking and the ginger syrup, water is a necessary ingredient.
How to Make Candied Ginger: A Detailed Tutorial
Now that you have everything you need, we’ll go over how to make candied ginger from scratch:
First, get the ginger ready.
First, use a spoon or a peeler to remove the skin from the ginger. Using this method, you can peel the ginger without wasting any of the edible flesh. You can make a delicate and fragrant tea by steeping the ginger skin in hot water; this works especially well with organic ginger.
Next, chop the ginger into manageable pieces. If you want the ginger to be a specific size after cooking, cut it a little bigger than it needs to be. You can cut it into cubes, coins, or even thin strips. Use a mandolin to cut the ginger into uniformly thin coins for uniformity and presentation.
Phase 2: Ginger Cooking
Add enough water to completely cover the ginger pieces and put them in a large pot. Squeeze half a lemon into the pot and add the juice. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, and skim off the foam with a slotted spoon as it appears.
After the ingredients have come to a boil, lower the heat to maintain a low simmer and cover the pot. Ginger needs about 30 minutes to become tender and translucent.
Strain the cooked ginger, but save the cooking liquid for later use. This ginger-infused liquid can be used to make a flavorful tea or as an ingredient in various other recipes.
Third, sweeten the ginger.
Add the sugar, vanilla extract (if using), and the rest of the lemon juice to the pot with the cooked ginger and stir to combine. For extra depth of flavor, you can also add a splash or two of the ginger cooking liquid you set aside.
Stir the mixture occasionally as it simmers for 35 to 45 minutes over low heat until most of the water has evaporated and a thick syrup forms. The ginger pieces should have a soft sweetness and a slight chewiness.
You can either leave the ginger in the syrup and use it to make simple candied ginger later, or you can crystallize it now.
Step 4: Make Ginger Crystals
You can dry the ginger in the air or toss it gently in sugar to speed up the crystallization process. If you want the sugar to stick to the ginger rather than make it soggy, you should let the pieces dry for at least two hours. Dry the ginger by spreading it out in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. You can let them dry in the air for an entire night or use a dehydrator or oven to speed up the process.
If you want to dry the tray in the air, set it up on a cooling rack and put it somewhere dry and low in humidity. Dry the ginger in an oven or dehydrator for four to five hours at about 150 degrees Fahrenheit (65 degrees Celsius). The ideal texture for ginger is almost dry but still tender and chewy.
Keeping Candied Ginger for Later Use
Now that you’ve successfully made candied ginger from scratch, you can put some away for later and enjoy the results. Here are some suggestions for how to best preserve and savor your crystallized ginger:
It’s up to you whether you want to keep your candied ginger in the syrup or in a separate container. Sugar-coated ginger can be kept for a long time in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Crystallized ginger without a sugar coating should be kept cold or frozen.
Making use of Candied Ginger: There are many applications for crystallized ginger due to its adaptability. You can eat it as is, mix it into granola bars, sprinkle it on top of pancakes or yogurt bowls, use it as a garnish for desserts and cocktails, and so on. The potential is enormous.
FAQ’s About Candied Ginger
How can I use the ginger syrup?
The ginger syrup has many potential applications. Lemonade, teas, cocktails, and ice cream, and desserts can all benefit from its addition. It’s also a great addition to fruit salads.
Why do we need to cook the ginger twice?
The ginger’s sharpness is toned down, and its texture is smoothed out by the first round of cooking. The second phase of cooking produces the syrup and imparts the flavor of sweetness into the ginger.
Is sugar necessary for the crystallization of ginger?
You can use sugar substitutes instead of sugar in the conventional method of making crystallized ginger. You should expect some degree of variation in taste and texture.
Enjoy Candied Ginger in New Ways
It’s time to let your imagination run wild now that you know the secret to making perfect candied ginger. Spice up the syrup with some cinnamon, mint, or lemon zest for a tasty new twist. Dipped in tempered dark or milk chocolate, the crystallized ginger slices become a decadent treat.
And if you’re in the mood for some culinary exploration, candied ginger is a great ingredient to play around with. Granola bars, baked goods, stir-fries, salads, and cocktails benefit from its distinctive flavor. You can do just about anything with this tasty and adaptable ingredient.
Candying your own ginger is a fun and satisfying project. You can make a tasty treat that’s bursting with flavor with just a few basic ingredients and a little bit of time. Homemade candied ginger will impress both your taste buds and your guests, whether you eat it as a snack on its own or add it to other dishes. Try this treat now.
