i’m like a dumb animal, the glitter and sparkle of sanding sugar catching my eye ::::
I just came out from the blood orange pâte de fruit recipe, hard pressed to mix up my recipe variation yet. I’m on a roll, people. There is nothing deep, philosophic, or impressively scientific about today’s post; I went through the chemistry and failures enough in the passion fruit pâte de fruit. Today is pure, simple love. (Love CAN actually be simple — wait, if I make that claim, then maybe need to spend a post blabbering about Buddhism and Jesus and being kind. Which isn’t simple. I’ll just leave that there, as is.) A formula. It’ll work. Gold star, for sure.
I FINALLY went back to the Boiron table that I saved when I researched passion fruit pâte de fruit from some cryptic website where esteemed pastry chef Michael Laiskonis was mentioned. I can’t find it on Google now. My screen shot is enough (and I will share it with you, if you ask). It is columned and presented in a formulaic way: the amount of fruit, the amount of sugar, of pectin, etc. Each ingredient adjusted ever so slightly to accommodate for the endogenous fruit pectin. Using this table obviates the need for recipe after recipe trialing — it has already done the work for you. It wasn’t until recently I thought Why not? Try it. So here I am.
The guava turned out better than I expected. I’ve waxed prolific about citric acid in candies before and I stand even more firm about it now. It is essential for guava pâte de fruit. The brightness of the guava is brought out with the citric tang. Simple. It actually is. Gold star, not quite. I’ll give it a pink star which is even better. Happy Valentines’ Day, superstars.
One year ago: I wrote a post about taking a break.
Two years ago: I wore a dress made of brassica and allium greens that I made and lotus root salad
Three years ago: pandan chiffon cake and candied grapefruit peels
Four years ago: polenta chips with rosemary and parmesan and date-apricot balls with coconut and cacao nibs and taiwanese stewed sesame ginger chicken
Five years ago: mulled cider with homemade spice sachet and happy valentine’s day 2013
Six years ago: cannellini bean, ricotta, chocolate torte and madeleines
Seven years ago: debutante cake and golden beet latkes with smoked paprika sour cream
- 500g fresh guava, pureed. I used Goya brand pink guava, thawed from frozen. Highly recommended!
- 66.5g granulated sugar #1
- 14g yellow pectin
- 165 ml apple juice (100% juice, not "beverage" or "cocktail")
- 600g granulated sugar #2
- 130 ml corn syrup or glucose
- 15g citric acid, mixed with 15 ml water
- sanding sugar (though regular granulated sugar works too)
- Other equipment: candy thermometer, 9x13-in pan
- In a large saucepan, stir together the guava and apple juice. Bring to boil.
- Mix sugar #1 and pectin in a bowl so it is evenly distributed. This helps keep the pectin from clumping up when you add it to the liquid. You MUST do this step. Or you will fail!
- Whisk in the sugar-pectin mix into the guava-juice mix. Bring to boil.
- Add sugar #2 and corn syrup and mix well. Clip the candy thermometer to the side of the pot and cook to 107 deg C (224.6 deg F) while constantly stirring with the whisk (or wooden spoon works).
- When at temp, add citric acid-water mix, stir well, and quick add to 9x13-inch pan on flat surface. Leave undisturbed for at least 3 hours, up to 24 hours to set completely. Keep at room temperature.
- Sprinkle sanding sugar onto large cutting board, loosen gelled pâte de fruit from pan, and flip onto cutting board. Cut into squares or use aspic cutters for cute shapes. Dredge in sanding sugar completely and allow to dry on wire rack overnight. This pâte de fruit is tart and sweet, with bursting guava flavor reminding me of Hawaii.
