Candied Ginger Food

CRYSTALLIZED OR CANDIED GINGER

Steps:

• Cut ginger into 2-inch pieces and slice lengthwise into 1/8-inch slices. Score ginger slices by pricking with a fork.
• Toss ginger with sugar in a bowl.
• Combine ginger-sugar mixture and water in a large skillet or wok; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar melts into a syrup and starts to crystallize, about 1 hour. Continue stirring until syrup is mostly crystallized and ginger comes together in a pile in the center of the skillet and very little syrup drains out; remove from heat.
• Toss ginger slices gently to cool and separate from excess sugar. Spread slices out on a tray to cool and dry.

CANDIED GINGER AND SYRUP

Steps:

• Peel ginger and slice into rounds about 1/8 inch thick.
• Mix sugar and water in a large sauce pan and bring to boil.
• When sugar is disolved, add ginger and boil for 45 minutes.
• Ginger should be sweet and tender.
• Drain ginger and reserve liquid.
• Place ginger on rack to dry for 30 minutes.
• Toss with sugar to coat.
• Let dry on wax paper.
• Store in airtight container.
• Boil reserved liquid until reduced to a syrup with consistency between maple syrup and honey. (mine was that way after the 45 minutes with the ginger in it.
• Sugar will crystallize so just add a little water and boil.
• Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
• Syrup can be used for waffles, icecream, tea, Or whereever you use syrup.

CANDIED GINGER APPLE PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: Put the flour, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the pastry blade and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse a few times until the mixture resembles fine gravel. Add 1/4 cup ice water a few tablespoons at a time until the dough comes together and forms a ball. Remove from the food processor, divide in two and form each piece into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to use.
• For the filling: In a large bowl, combine the apples, sugar, cornstarch, crystallized ginger, cinnamon, lemon juice, vanilla bean paste and salt.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and remove one of the disks of dough from the refrigerator. If necessary, leave to soften for 10 minutes or so. On a floured surface, roll out the disk into a 12-inch round about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish and gently press into place, eliminating any air pockets. Trim the dough overhang to 1/2 inch.
• On a floured surface, roll the second disk into a 12-inch round about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer the apple filling to the dough-lined dish. On top of the filling, add the second crust, allowing each to overhang by 1/2 inch. Fold the top crust edges over the overhang of the bottom crust and crimp the edges to seal. Cut six slits into the top crust.
• Beat the egg with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water. Using a pastry brush, lightly paint the crust with the egg. Using aluminum foil, make a "collar" around the edges of the pie to prevent it from browning too quickly.
• Bake 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 1 hour. (Remove the foil collar for the last 10 to 15 minutes.)
• Transfer the pie to a rack and cool completely.
• Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

CANDIED GINGER

Steps:

• Spray a cooling rack with nonstick spray and set it in a half sheet pan lined with parchment.
• Peel the ginger root and slice into 1/8-inch thick slices using a mandoline. Place into a 4-quart saucepan with the water and set over medium-high heat. Cover and cook for 35 minutes or until the ginger is tender.
• Transfer the ginger to a colander to drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Weigh the ginger and measure out an equal amount of sugar. Return the ginger and 1/4 cup water to the pan and add the sugar. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar syrup looks dry, has almost evaporated and begins to recrystallize, approximately 20 minutes. Transfer the ginger immediately to the cooling rack and spread to separate the individual pieces. Once completely cool, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Save the sugar that drops beneath the cooling rack and use to top ginger snaps, sprinkled over ice cream or to sweeten coffee.

CRYSTALLIZED GINGER

Steps:

• Place ginger in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Partially cover saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil until ginger is almost cooked through but still slightly al dente, about 1 hour. Drain.
• Weigh cooked ginger and return it to saucepan with an equal amount of sugar. Add 2 tablespoons water; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring, until ginger becomes translucent, about 20 minutes.
• Reduce heat and continue cooking, stirring, until ginger is crystallized and begins to clump in the middle of the pan.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle a large rimmed baking sheet with sugar. Pour crystallized ginger onto prepared baking sheet and roll in sugar, separating pieces. Transfer to a sterilized jar and store in a cool place for 3 to 6 months.

CANDIED GINGER POUND CAKE WITH A HINT OF ORANGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time until mixed well.
• Combine flour, soda, and salt.
• Alternately add flour and sour cream until combined with egg/butter mixture.
• Add extract and zest to cake batter.
• Gently fold candied ginger mixed with 3 tablespoons flour into cake batter -.
• Pour into large bundt pan, sprayed with baking spray.
• Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes ~ check for doneness ~ cover top of cake with aluminum foil if it is getting too dark!
• Continue baking if necessary ~ check at 5 minute intervals till done. Cake in my photo baked for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• If desired, brush hot cake with an orange juice/sugar syrup to glaze ~.or top each serving with orange curd.

CRYSTALLIZED CANDIED GINGER

Steps:

• Peel the ginger using a sharp-edged teaspoon (or a small knife) -- yep that is the easiest way, just scrape it toward you and all comes off. In the joints just break apart the pieces to get all the peeling.
• Now slice it in 1/4-inch-thick slices -- I used the Cuisinart since I was doing so much but you can use a mandoline or sharp knife.
• Place the slices in a large nonreactive saucepan with cold water to cover, bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Drain, cover with fresh cold water, boil, and again cook 15 minutes. Repeat this blanching process 2 more times, for a total of 4 blanchings in all.
• After the last blanching, drain and cover with 6 cups of fresh cold water and 3 cups of sugar. Slowly bring the syrup to a boil, stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the ginger is translucent and the syrup is thickened, about 20-30 minutes; watch carefully. Remove from heat.
• You now have Canton candied ginger and can store it this way (in it's syrup, in a sterilized jar with a tight fitting lid, and refrigerated) for practically forever.
• Or, for crystallized ginger, let stand for about 30 minutes, for the ginger to absorb more syrup. Then you can take the pieces of ginger from the syrup and toss it in granulated sugar and put it on a rack (or on a parchment lined baking sheet) to dry, uncovered at room temperature, for at least 8 hours or overnight, until the sugar coating is firm and the slices are no longer sticky. This also keeps for at least a year, stored in a cool dry place in an airtight container.
• Notes: Save the syrup for flavoring, it has a strong ginger flavor and can be used to flavor drinks-- it is so yummy! I also save the sugar that I tossed it in to use in recipes.

CANDIED GINGER

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil over medium heat; continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, with a paring knife, slice ginger crosswire very thinly (about 1/8 inch thick). You should have about 1 cup.
• Add ginger slices to pan; simmer over medium-low heat until translucent and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer ginger to a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper; spread pieces so they are not touching. Let drain. Reserve ginger syrup (let cool; refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 month).
• Pour 1/4 cup sugar into a small bowl; coat ginger slices, 1 or 2 at a time, in sugar. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 1 month.

CANDIED GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and mix well. Combine flour, soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt, mixing to combine. Add to creamed ingredients and mix well. Chill.
• Roll into balls smaller than golf balls and flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. These spread a little so don't crowd.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
• NOTE: These are very plain looking cookies. You may want to melt chocolate chips and drizzle over the cookies to "fancy them up" a bit.