Friday, November 9, 2007

Crystalized Ginger




This is a family favorite--nice for a bite, or to mix into a cup of hot tea. We find our homemade batch is spicier than the ones we find packaged at the store; we like the extra zing.

Here's what you need:

1-2 pounds of ginger root--the freshest you can get (older pieces don't slice as cleanly)
2 cups sugar
1.5 cups water
an additional 1 cup sugar for dredging

Have ready the following:

A large, heavy saucepan
A strainer, lined with cheesecloth, and set over a large bowl
A foil-lined cookie sheet
A bowl for dredging


Peel the ginger completely. Slice into quarter inch rounds, either using a knife, or a mandolin.

In a large, heavy saucepan, dissolve the 2 cups of sugar into the water, and add the ginger. Cook over medium to medium-low heat for an hour, or until the ginger pieces are soft, pliable, and starting to be translucent.



Remove the ginger from the stove, put it into the strainer, and let drain and cool for 30 minutes.

Save the gingered water that drains off, and put it in a lidded glass jar. You can save this in the fridge for 2 weeks, and use it to flavor tea, drinks, soda, etc.

Preheat the oven to 200F

Take the cooled and drained ginger slices and dredge them in the additional sugar until each piece is coated completely. Put the sugar-coated slices on a foil-lined cookie sheet, and bake them at 200 F for 2-3 hours. The finished pieces should be fairly hard, but not crispy. Let them cool completely, and then pack them in an airtight container.

2 comments:

CAMISOLA PRETA said...

do you think that it's o.k.to use Splenda?

Mervat said...

This looks so delicious...I have tried over and again the ready-made stuff and there is just too much bite, if you know what I mean. How powerful does this taste?

BTW I am linking you as I love your style of recipes and always love give my family new recipes.
Mervat
xx