Ginger Candy (Crystallized Ginger, Candied Ginger Chew) isadelicious condiment that is sweet, spicy, crunchy, and chewy all at the same time. Make it from scratch and serve as candy or add it to your cookie or fruit cake recipe for a flavor burst. It also makes for a great holiday gift.
Peel the ginger and cut it into thin coins (⅛ inch).
Add the sliced ginger to a medium saucepan along with 3 cups of water.
Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Once it comes to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to low and cook the ginger for 2 minutes.
Remove the pan from heat, strain the ginger, and discard the water.
Cook the ginger coins in water similarly 2 more times.
Drain and set aside.
Note – This process removes the bitterness from ginger and also breaks down the fibrous cell wall of ginger making it soft to eat. It also makes the absorption of sugar syrup easier.
Make Sugar Syrup
Heat 1 cup of water and granulated white sugar in a pan over medium heat.
When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring 1-2 times.
Make Crystallized Ginger
Add the cooked ginger to the sugar syrup and cook undisturbed for 20-30 minutes on low heat or until it turns translucent. Do not stir during this process otherwise, there will be crystallization.
Strain the syrup using a fine-mesh strainer and store it for future use.
Note – Be very careful while handling the pan at this stage as the syrup is very very hot.
Transfer the crystallized ginger to a bowl and let it cool down for 2 minutes.
Add castor sugar to the bowl and toss until all the ginger pieces are coated.
Arrange the pieces on a wire rack in a single layer and let them dry for 6-8 hours.
Tip – You can cover the rack with a thin muslin cloth to prevent dust from settling on the candy.
Store the candy in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature or 2 months in the refrigerator.
You can cut the ginger into small cubes instead of slices.Add a little ground cardamom, vanilla extract, or orange extract to the sugar syrup for a nice taste change.This ginger candy recipe can be easily halved, doubled, or tripled as per your requirements.