Mango Pâtes de Fruits

(c) 2011 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

These chewy fruit squares are vibrant with the fresh taste of mango. The mango pulp used in this recipe can be purchased frozen from a supermarket, or can be made at home by briefly cooking and mashing fresh mango chunks. Make sure you measure the mango once it has been liquified, and not in chunk form.

Prep Time: 10?minutes

Cook Time: 45?minutes

Total Time: 55?minutes

Ingredients:

• 14 oz mango pulp (about 1.5 cups)
• 17 oz granulated sugar (about 2.5 cups)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 6 fl oz liquid pectin (about 3/4 cup)

Preparation:

1. Prepare an 8x8-inch square pan by lining it with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spraying the bottom with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Cook mango pulp and sugar together in a medium saucepan over low heat until they form a very thick syrup. Depending on the thickness of your pulp, it will take between 30 minutes – 1 hour. The syrup should thickly coat the back of a spoon or spatula.

3. Once the syrup has thickened enough, add the butter and cook for 3 minutes more, stirring constantly.

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the pectin while hot. Pour immediately into prepared pan.

5. Allow to cool to room temperature. Cover pan with foil and refrigerate overnight until set.

6. Once the candies are completely set, cut them into small squares with a knife dipped in water. They can be rolled in granulated sugar or left plain. The sugar makes them easier to store and stack, as it prevents them from sticking together.

7. Candies can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Note:Pectin is a jelling agent often used in canning. It can be found in well-stocked supermarkets near the canning supplies or in the baking section.

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Cranberry Pâte de Fruits

What's Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce? A sad turkey dinner, that's what! I think we can all agree cranberry sauce is a must this week. I started making my own a few years ago and couldn't believe how easy it is--cranberries, liquid, sugar, heat, DONE. It's so much better than the canned stuff, and takes minimal preparation work. I use a recipe that's very similar to this easy cranberry sauce recipe from our Culinary Arts guide, if you're in the market to make your own this year.

Why all the talk about cranberry sauce on a candy blog? Well, this classic Thanksgiving side dish is the first thing that comes to mind when talking about these Cranberry P?te de Fruits. Like all p?te de fruits, this one starts with a fruit puree--in this case, you basically cook down the cranberries just like you're making a cranberry sauce! After you have your cranberries pureed, you add a little sugar (okay, a lot of sugar) and some pectin, and cook until everything is thick and, dare I say, goopy. After the candy sets you have vibrant little squares with the sweet-tart taste of fresh cranberry sauce! Try adding a little orange zest to give them even more of a holiday flavor.

These candies are perfect if you want to wow your Thanksgiving guests with a delicious pre-dinner treat, or send them home with a lovely assortment of sweets in a goodie bag.

Get the recipe: Cranberry Pate de Fruits

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Cranberry Pate de Fruits Photo c2009 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

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Apple Pâtes de Fruits

I feel like I've been featuring a lot of p?te de fruit candy recipes lately--or maybe it's not that I've been featuring so many, it's just that I think they're kind of a lesser-known candy, so whenever I feature, say, two in two months, it feels like I'm throwing a giant p?tes de fruits parade and shoving them down your throats. I know they're not as fun as fudge or as sexy as truffles, but believe me when I tell you, there is no better candy to make when you want to feature fresh fruit.

Other candies may use a little fruit puree here and there, or call for the occasional dried or fresh fruit thrown in, but p?tes de fruits are composed almost entirely of fruit, so they taste like a piece of fruit punched you in the mouth. In a good way! If you, too, would like to be punched in the mouth by intense apple flavor (in a good way!) pick up a few of your favorite apples and make these Apple P?tes de Fruits. And with that, my friends, I pinky-promise not to mention anything that starts with "p" and ends with "?tes de fruits" for at least another two months.

Get the recipe: Apple P?tes de Fruits

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Apple P?tes de FruitsPhoto c2009 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

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Apple Pâtes de Fruits

(c) 2009 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

Pates de Fruits are a traditional French candy that are sometimes described as a very condensed jam. Basically, they are a fruit puree that is reduced, with a jelling agent added. The result is chewy and vividly, intensely fruity.

These Apple Pates de Fruits have a wonderful sweet-tart flavor and a great texture. This recipe calls for a vanilla bean to be added to the water when poaching the apples, but you can substitute cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, or any other aromatics that you like to give the apples a flavor boost. This recipe is time-consuming but I think it’s worth it to create such a classic, gourmet treat.

Prep Time: 1?hour

Cook Time: 8?minutes

Total Time: 1?hour, 8?minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 flavorful, tart medium apples (to produce 1 lb, 10 oz fruit puree)
• 1 split vanilla bean pod
• 6 tbsp (2.6 oz) granulated sugar (1)
• 2 tbsp (.8 oz) powdered pectin
• 3-1/3 cup (1 lb 11 oz) granulated sugar (2)
• 1/2 cup (5.6 oz) light corn syrup
• 3.5 tsp (.6 oz) fresh lemon juice
• Additional granulated sugar for rolling

Preparation:

1. Prepare an 8x8 pan by lining it with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a small bowl, combine the powdered pectin and the first quantity of sugar (1) and mix well. Have the second quantity of sugar (2), the corn syrup, and the lemon juice near the stove, as once you start cooking the candy, the recipe moves quickly and you will need to have everything prepared and within easy reach.

3. Peel the apples and place them in a large pot of simmering water with the split vanilla pod. Poach the apples for 45 minutes or until very tender. Remove them from the water and allow them to cool briefly. Remove the cores and place the apples in a blender or food processor and process until they are a smooth puree.

4. Place the puree in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a simmer. Once simmering, add the pectin-sugar mixture while whisking continuously. Once incorporated, add the second amount of sugar (2) in several batches, and continue to whisk constantly until the candy comes to a boil.

5. Once it boils, add the corn syrup and continue to cook and whisk. Insert a candy thermometer and continue to boil, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 225 degrees F. This process takes awhile--usually about 20-30 minutes, depending on your pan and heat. Alternate whisking with scraping the bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula to prevent scorching. At first the candy will be fairly thin, but as it cooks it will thicken and start to spatter, so watch your hands. When it is ready the candy will be quite thick, and will mass together and pull away from the sides of the pan.

6. Once the proper temperature is reached, remove the pan from the heat and immediately whisk in the lemon juice.

7. Scrape the candy into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Allow it to set at room temperature for at least 3-4 hours, or overnight.

8. Carefully remove the candy from the pan and peel off the foil backing. Cut it into small 1-inch squares and dredge the squares in granulated sugar to serve. Store Apple Pates de Fruits in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and roll them in sugar again after refrigeration.

Note:Pectin is a jelling agent often used in canning. It can be found in well-stocked supermarkets near the canning supplies or in the baking section.

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Peach Pâtes de Fruits

(c) 2011 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

Peach Pate de Fruits are chewy, flavorful jellied squares rolled in sugar. They have a strong, vibrantly fruity flavor because they're made with fresh peach puree.

Prep Time: 15?minutes

Cook Time: 35?minutes

Total Time: 50?minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 medium-size peaches, flavorful and ripe (to yield 2 cups puree)
• 1.5 oz (3 tbsp) granulated sugar (1)
• .5 oz (1-1/2 tbsp) powdered pectin
• 15 oz (2 cups) granulated sugar (2)
• 4 oz (1/3 cup) light corn syrup or glucose
• 1-1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Prepare an 8x8 pan by lining it with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a small bowl, combine the powdered pectin and the first quantity of sugar (1) and mix well. Have the second quantity of sugar (2), the corn syrup, and the lemon juice near the stove, as once you start cooking the candy, the recipe moves quickly and you will need to have everything prepared and within easy reach.

3. Peel the peaches and coarsely chop them into pieces. Place them in a saucepan over medium heat and simmer them until they release their juice and are very tender. Place the peaches in a blender or food processor and process until they are a smooth puree.

4. Strain the puree over a measuring cup and measure out 2 cups of peach puree. If you have extra puree, save it for a different use. Place the puree in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a simmer. Once simmering, add the pectin-sugar mixture while whisking continuously. Once incorporated, add the second amount of sugar (2) in several batches, and continue to whisk constantly until the candy comes to a boil.

5. Once it boils, add the corn syrup and continue to cook and whisk. Insert a candy thermometer and continue to boil, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 230 degrees F. This process takes awhile--usually about 25-35 minutes, depending on your pan and heat. Alternate whisking with scraping the bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula to prevent scorching. At first the candy will be fairly thin, but as it cooks it will thicken and start to spatter, so watch your hands. When it is ready the candy will be quite thick, and will mass together and pull away from the sides of the pan.

6. Once the proper temperature is reached, remove the pan from the heat and immediately whisk in the lemon juice.

7. Scrape the candy into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Allow it to set at room temperature for at least 3-4 hours, or overnight.

8. Carefully remove the candy from the pan and peel off the foil backing. Cut it into small 1-inch squares and dredge the squares in granulated sugar to serve. Store Peach Pates de Fruits in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and roll them in sugar again after refrigeration.

Note:Pectin is a jelling agent often used in canning. It can be found in well-stocked supermarkets near the canning supplies or in the baking section.

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Peach Pâtes de Fruits

In the grand scheme of things, having too many peaches is not a bad problem to have. Too many Brussels sprouts? Ugh. Too many cockroaches? Gross. Too many inches around the tummy? Sigh. But too many peaches? THAT I can handle!

In prime summer months, when peaches are bursting out of the trees and practically launching themselves into my waiting arms, I eat as many fresh peaches as I can handle, then I look for creative ways to use the rest in recipes. Peach pie, peach cobbler, and peach jam are all good ways to make use of quickly ripening peaches. I've even been known to toss them into salads or atop pizzas for a quick punch of fruit flavor. Another clever way to make use of extra-ripe peaches is this recipe for Peach P?tes de Fruits. A quick peach puree is cooked down, with a bit of sugar and pectin, until it is ultra-thick and chewy. Once the candy has set, it's cut into small squares and rolled in granulated sugar. These little bites taste like a mouthful of sweet-tart peach jam. The recipe only makes an 8x8 pan, so if you have lots of peaches (or lots of hungry friends) you might consider doubling it. And come to think of it, having too many Peach P?tes de Fruits is not a bad problem to have either!

Get the recipe: Peach P?tes de Fruits

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Peach P?tes de Fruits Photo c2011 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

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