Special
Equipment
Small
(9" x 13") rimmed baking sheet
Candy
thermometer
Heatproof
spatula
Cutting
board, lined with parchment or wax paper
1-inch
cookie cutters (optional)
Cooling
rack (see Nice Rack!, page 107)
Large
(13" x 18") rimmed baking sheet
INGREDIENTS
Cooking
spray or vegetable oil
¼
cup (25 g) powdered agar agar (see page 9)
1⅓
cups (250 g) granulated sugar
1¾
cups (400 g) water
1
teaspoon (4 g) salt
1⅓
cups (450 g) light corn syrup
1¾
cups (400 g) unsweetened fruit juice or puree (see Fruit Puree, page
107)
1
tablespoon (15 g) freshly squeezed lemon juice
About
1½ cups (300 g) sugar, preferably superfine, for dredging (see
Dredge Report, opposite)
1.
Lightly coat the small baking sheet with cooking spray, and set it
aside.
2.
Whisk the agar and granulated sugar together in a small bowl. Set it
aside.
3.
In a medium-size (4-quart) saucepan, bring the water and salt to a
boil over high heat. Whisk in the agar mixture, stirring well for 1
to 2 minutes to ensure that all the agar is dissolved. Insert the
candy thermometer.
4.
Gently
add the corn syrup, being careful not to splatter as you pour it in.
Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly with the
spatula (make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan), until the
mixture registers 223°F/106°C (thread stage) on the thermometer,
about 30 minutes.
5.
Remove
the pan from the heat, but leave the candy thermometer submerged in
the agar mixture. Allow the mixture to cool until the thermometer
reads 195°F/90°C (dissolve-to-thread stage), 20 to 30 minutes.
6.
Add the fruit juice and lemon juice to the agar mixture, and stir
with the spatula until well combined. Pour the mixture into the
prepared baking sheet. Let it sit until it’s completely cooled and
set, at least 1 hour.
7.
Gently turn the candy out onto the lined cutting board. Lightly coat
the cookie cutters or a sharp chef’s knife with cooking spray, and
cut the candy into 1-inch pieces (if using a knife, cut it into
squares or other shapes).
8.
Place the dredging sugar in a small bowl. Set the cooling rack over
the large baking sheet. Add the candy, a few pieces at a time, to the
bowl of sugar and toss to coat. Arrange the dredged candies in a
single layer on the rack and leave them to dry out overnight. (This
may take a little longer when using fruit juice or where the climate
is very humid; when the candies are ready, a crust of sugar will have
formed on the surface.)
Store
the jellies in a loosely covered container at room temperature for up
to 3 weeks.
