How to successfully make candied ginger?

Question

I tried to make candied ginger from fresh roots, but the result didn't turn out like I was expecting.

The recipe I followed had me simmer the slices of ginger in a saucepan with 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar melted in water, for 35 minutes.

Then I leaved the slices to dry on a drying rack overnight. Then I rolled the pieces in sugar to coat them (I found the recipe online).

The result I was expecting to get is something very candied, almost transparent, like this piece (bought in a store):

what I actually ended up getting was much darker and the sugar didn't stick to the pieces at all:

It still tastes quite good, but it isn't as sweet as the one from the store, and didn't look quite as good.

I would love to know how to salvage this batch, or have more tips on successfully candying ginger to a perfect result next time.

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 21 '16 at 03:07

Boiling the ginger will help to make the ginger less spicy - the longer,the less spicy. I like my ginger with more of a bite, so I boil it for only 10 minutes. Then strain it through a collander, the way you would a pot of boiled pasta. Put the ginger back into the pot with equal portions of sugar and water - enough to fully cover the ginger - and boil to 225F. Lift the ginger out of the syrup with a slotted spoon and place it on a cooling rack. Coat in sugar. For greater detail, see this link: http://www.makeitlikeaman.com/2013/12/07/candied-ginger-2/

Pork Chop · Answer 2 · 2016-03-17T14:04:02.880

0

35 min simmer in sugar sounds a bit long. You should try and simmer the ginger slices in water first for 35min and then remove the water that is left from the pan. Then add the sugar and boil until 225 degrees F, using a candy thermo. Remove the ginger from the pan. The ginger should be sticky enough then for the sugar coating to stick.

edited Mar 17 '16 at 14:04

answered Mar 17 '16 at 07:51

Pork Chop

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Thank you! But I don't understand "remove the water / add the sugar" add the sugar to what? – MicroMachine Mar 17 '16 at 13:59
Just edited the awnser now. – Pork Chop Mar 17 '16 at 14:04
So in step 2 I just have sugar in the pan, but no water? – MicroMachine Mar 17 '16 at 14:06
No. Sugar and ginger, there should be enough moisture left to go around to get the mix to a nice boil. – Pork Chop Mar 17 '16 at 14:09
here is a similar way of how I explained http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Crystallized-Ginger – Pork Chop Mar 17 '16 at 14:13

How to successfully make candied ginger?

2 Answers2