It took four or five parboiling sessions to get the excessive bitterness reduced enough but the end result was well worth it, although the candying process took longer because the fruit is denser than clementines or mandarins. These are similar to Seville oranges, only about 2 inches in diameter. I've candied the little 'sour' oranges that have been produced on trees where the grafted parts have been killed in a frost. I also generally take one apart and taste the peel as some are more bitter than others and if these are, I parboil them in two changes of water, draining immediately after removing from the heat and rinsing well with cold water then draining - stem side down - for about an hour before starting with the syrup. The only thing different that I do is remove the stem 'button' and pierce the center with a skewer, almost all the way through, leaving the blossom end intact. You are doing it correctly and it is true that some collapse often occurs in one or more fruits.

I don't usually do that with candied fruit.Īny reassurance you might offer would be welcome. I've candied before, just not whole fruit or pieces this big. I covered the oranges with the required inch of water but some pots are bigger around than others. I used glucose from a bucket of sticky-as-shit glucose and I used about a cup of it. I've candied before but not with such a high amount of corn syrup.

I'm concerned that the sugar/water ratio isn't strong enough. The instructions said 'all over' I used a little pattern and poked about six on the bottom, six on the top and a dozen in a band around the circumference. He looks healthy enough, but I'm wondering why this happened. Most of them are plump and heavy and absolutely perfect. I am candying my first batch of whole clementines and I'm having some anxiety attacks and I'm hoping someone out there has experience candying whole fruit or can help me.

Glace clementines