How to Make Candied Strawberries (2024)

FAQs

Why won't my candied strawberries harden? ›

If you candied strawberries are not hardening, there could be a number of reasons. You didn't cook your syrup to the correct temperature. You must hit 305F. The candy shell is too thick and taking longer to harden.

Sugar maceration is well-suited for strawberries because its hygroscopic properties draw out the water in the berries, creating a syrupy juice. As the berries macerate, they gently collapse, forming a jammy consistency that is ideal for spooning over ice cream, yogurt, or cake.

You can leave them out 30 minutes at room temperature, or speed the process by popping them into the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

In hard candy making, it is important to cook all the water out of the sugar/corn syrup/water mixture. If the sugar mixture is not cooked to the proper temperature (the hard-crack stage 300-310° F {149-154° C.} or if you are working in a kitchen with high humidity, chances are your candy is retaining too much moisture.

It's best to use at least 2 tablespoons sugar per cup of berries and increase the amount based on the tartness of the berries. Some of mine were pretty tart and I wanted them to be nice and sweet. You'll also need covered place to store them in the fridge - I always use a glass bowl and plastic wrap.

To make sugar syrup, put equal parts water and sugar in a pot. Heat the mixture to 160 degrees Celsius, or 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure every piece of blanched fruit is evenly covered, and dip it into the boiling sugar syrup. Numerous fruit varieties can be candied simultaneously.

Macerating fruit simply means to soften or steep it. It might sound fancy, but the process is really quite simple: Macerating typically involves adding sugar and often a liquid (like fruit juice or liquor) to fruit, and letting it all marinate until the fruit is soft or more tender.

A mixture of vinegar and water can destroy harmful bacteria and kill off mold spores on the strawberries. Vinegar gives berries a thorough cleaning and can get rid of any dirt or little bugs that may be on them. Soaking your berries in vinegar won't affect how they taste.

Lay your strawberries out on a baking tray and put them in a pre-heated oven at 350 °F (177 °C) for about 20 minutes. The heat from your oven will cause the natural sugars within the strawberry to concentrate, making them sweeter to your tongue.

The quickest, easiest path to sweeter strawberries is tossing them with a spoonful of sugar (or sugar substitute, if you prefer). Just a little bit of sugar is all you need. Spoon it over chopped or sliced berries, stir together, then let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes before digging in.

How does a watery syrup forms when you put sugar on strawberries? ›

Macerated strawberries demonstrate osmosis at work. Sprinkle sugar on the cut strawberries, and watch how a puddle of syrup collects on the surface. The high amount of sugar outside the strawberry's cells, combined with sugar's ability to attract water, causes the water to leach out of the fruit.

For dipping chocolate, I find it the easiest to use Wilton Candy Melts. Wilton Candy Melts come in dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate – and you can also find pink and red colored white chocolate if you want a splash of color to your gourmet strawberries.

So what do you do if your strawberries have been in the fridge too long and start to look a bit soft and sad? Pop them in some ice water and they'll quickly firm up and regain their vibrant colour.

To make your strawberry puree thicker, you're going to want to simmer it for a few minutes. Simmering the mixture reduces the amount of moisture that is in the puree allowing for a stronger strawberry flavor with less liquid.

Use room temperature strawberries and DRY THEM really well.

Take the strawberries out of the fridge 15-30 minutes before dipping them. Wash them and gently dry them all over with a paper towel. You want to make sure they're very dry, otherwise the chocolate won't set on them properly.

If it's warm or hot, it'll cook the berries, causing them to leak moisture, causing your pie to be runny, weepy, or not set up. This also happens if you let the pie sit too long in the refrigerator, which is why it's best eaten the day it's assembled.