🎄 Homemade candied clementines: the gourmet touch for your Christmas desserts

Why candy clementines? 🍊

Preserving clementines is like capturing a ray of Corsican sunshine in a jar! ☀️ During the festive season, they add a colorful and tangy touch to your desserts, while remaining natural and additive-free. Their subtle flavor, a perfect balance of sweetness and freshness, enhances traditional desserts as well as more modern recipes.

You can enjoy them on their own, give them as gourmet gifts 🎁, incorporate them into a homemade yule log , or even pair them with chocolate for an unforgettable melt-in-your-mouth experience. Candied clementines are also a great way to reduce food waste and fully enjoy this seasonal fruit, especially when they come from Corsican IGP clementines ! 🇫🇷

Ingredients and equipment to successfully make candied clementines

• Fresh clementines, if possible from Corsica IGP 🍊
• Powdered sugar
• Mineral or filtered water
• A large saucepan
• A skimmer
• A sterilized, airtight jar

Choose untreated fruit with thin, fragrant skin. Corsican clementines are ideal, and you can learn more about them on the official website ! 🌱

The steps of the homemade recipe

1. Wash the clementines thoroughly, scrub them under cold water to remove any impurities.
2. Pierce each fruit with a fork; this will help the syrup soak in well.
3. Blanch the clementines by plunging them into boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and repeat twice to remove any bitterness.
4. Prepare the syrup: in a saucepan, mix sugar and water (classic proportion: equal parts sugar and water), then heat over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.
5. Candied: Add the clementines to the simmering syrup. Cook over very low heat for about two hours, basting and turning frequently. Don't hesitate to extend the cooking time for a more melt-in-your-mouth texture.
6. Let the clementines rest in their syrup after each cooking. Repeat this process for 20 minutes each day for three days for perfect candying.
7. Put it in jars with the syrup, seal tightly and let it rest for a few days before tasting for an intense flavor.

With these steps, the scent of clementines will fill your kitchen and all you'll have to do is enjoy! 😋

Tips for foolproof candied clementines 🍯

• Uses freshly picked Corsican clementines to guarantee exceptional flavor.
• For an even more festive touch, add a cinnamon stick or a star anise to the syrup.
• Don't skimp on sterilizing your jars: it's the key to long-term preservation!
• The leftover syrup is delicious for soaking a cake or sweetening plain yogurt. Nothing goes to waste! 🍶
• For an even more indulgent version, dip the candied clementine segments in melted dark chocolate… a real treat! 🍫

How to use candied clementines in desserts? 🥗

Candied clementines are incredibly versatile! They add a twist to your Christmas logs, elevate a cheesecake, and bring a tangy touch to a meringue tart. You can also cut them into small pieces to add to your cake batter or homemade gingerbread 🔥.

And why not sprinkle them on a sundae, a panna cotta, or simply on a slice of toasted brioche? Their sweet and delicate flavor appeals to all food lovers, even in savory dishes with duck breast or foie gras! 😋

Discover also how to choose the best clementines for this recipe in our complete guide .

FAQ about candied clementines

Can candied clementines be frozen? ❄️

Freezing is not recommended, as it alters their texture. It's best to store them in jars, in their syrup, away from light.

How long should I keep them? ⏳

In a sterilized and hermetically sealed jar, you can keep them for several months without worry, at room temperature.

Can this recipe be made with other citrus fruits? 🍋

Absolutely! Try it with oranges, lemons or kumquats to mix things up.

Why blanch the fruit multiple times?

This removes the bitterness from the peel and gives it a melt-in-your-mouth texture. That's the secret to perfect candied clementines!

Where can I find quality clementines?

Find Corsican IGP clementines or order your carton directly here for optimal results.