Candied melons at home

It happens that when buying a melon comes across a hard, unsweetened fruit. This is not a reason to be upset, but, on the contrary, a good opportunity to learn something new and try to make candied fruits from it for the first time. These are candied pieces of pulp that taste very much like candy. Candied melons will be liked not only by kids, but also by all adults.

Useful properties of candied melon

Melon fruits, like most vegetables and fruits, are very useful for humans due to their rich nutritional composition. They contain:

• Sahara;
• cellulose;
• fats;
• nitrogenous substances;
• volatile aromatic compounds;
• folic and nicotinic acids;
• vitamin C.

Most of this useful composition is preserved after heat treatment during the preparation of candied fruits. Thanks to this, candied melons saturate a person not only with nutrients, but also have a therapeutic and prophylactic effect on the body. They act as natural diuretics, have mild laxative properties.

Candied melons cheer up, have a calming effect on the nervous system, they are good to snack on in a depressed mental state, depression. They help with kidney diseases (nephritis, pyelonephritis), liver (chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis) and gallbladder pathologies.

The fiber contained in candied fruits clears excess cholesterol – the culprit of atherosclerosis, and the supply of vitamins helps fight anemia, rejuvenates the skin. The cleansing effect of the pulp is used for diseases of the circulatory system:

• hypertension;
• chronic heart failure;
• with heart disease.

Candied melons have a supportive effect on the body, they are recommended for people who have had serious illnesses, operations, as well as in old age. They also help with some gynecological diseases, they are recommended to be included in the menu of those women who are being treated for various forms of adnexitis.

Which melon is better to choose for making candied fruit

For the manufacture of candied fruits, you need to choose not overripe melon. You can determine the degree of ripeness of a melon by conducting a small test. It is necessary to scrape the skin of the melon anywhere. If you can easily get to the greenish layer, then the melon is ripe.

You also need to pay attention to the place opposite the tail (should be dry), where the flower was. A ripe melon has a slightly pliable nose, while an overripe one has a very soft nose. An unripe melon will have a green tail and a firm opposite tip (nose).

How to make candied melons

The technology for making candied fruits has been known since ancient times. It was invented in the East as a way to preserve the crop in conditions of extreme heat. In Europe, candied fruits were called hard (dry) jam and were considered exotic for a long time, but over time they learned how to cook them no worse than their eastern neighbors. The recipe turned out to be very simple: the fruit or peel must be boiled in sugar syrup and then dried.

How to make candied melon pulp

Rinse the melon, cut it into two parts, scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Then the fruit must be peeled and cut into strips. If the house has an electric dryer, arrange the cut pieces into sections and stack them on top of each other. Close, turn on the vegetable dryer, set the temperature to +58 degrees and the timer for 8 hours. After the time has elapsed, change the sections so that the last one becomes the first. Extend drying in the same mode for another 4 hours. When the time is up, the candied fruits will be ready.

Cut the pulp of an unripe melon into large cubes, as thin pieces wrinkle during the cooking process and lose their appearance. Then pour boiling water over everything and leave it until the morning. The next day, drain the water, pour fresh boiling water over it and repeat this for 4-5 days. The harder the melon, the more it needs to be soaked. Next, follow the recipe for making candied melons at home:

• make syrup: for 400 g of crusts, take 400 g of sugar and a glass of water;
• pour the melon and bring to a boil several times for 2-3 days and leave to soak, without removing the crusts from the syrup, do so until the crusts become transparent;
• cool and carefully put in glass jars, trying not to damage, pour syrup and store as jam;
• spread on a wide dish and let dry.

The easiest recipe for candied melon peels

Usually candied fruits are cooked in 3-4 cooking steps. In this simple recipe, candied melons can be made in one day. This means that there will be only one brew. The basis for the preparation of the dish will be melon peeling. You need to do the following:

• remove a thin layer of skin with a knife and cut into cubes;
• blanch for five minutes, remove from boiling water and immediately pour over with cold water;
• then you can start preparing sugar syrup – for 700 g of melon cubes you need to take such an amount of sugar and 180 ml of water, add a tablespoon of lemon juice;
• put fruit cubes into boiling syrup, bring to a boil again and keep on low heat for 3 hours;
• put on a sieve and let the water drain completely;
• then put them on parchment paper and take them outside so that they are weathered and dried, do not forget to turn them over or leave them in a well-ventilated area, in which case drying will take much longer;
• mix starch with powdered sugar and roll each crust separately.

This method of preparing candied melon peels is also very simple, it only takes one boil. You will need the following ingredients:

• soda – 1 teaspoon;
• melon peels – 0,5 kg;
• sugar – 0,3 kg;
• citric acid – 1/6 teaspoon.

Wash the melon, cut and eat. Remove the remaining edible pulp and peel from the crusts. Cut into cubes. Then proceed according to the scheme:

• prepare 1 liter of soda solution, immerse melon peels there and keep for three hours;
• after the time has elapsed, drain the solution, rinse the crusts with clean water;
• pour water, bring to a boil, drain;
• pour 1 liter of water into a saucepan, throw in 100 g of sugar and melon peels, boil for 20 minutes;
• then add the second 100 g of sugar, bring to a boil and boil the same amount;
• throw a third portion of granulated sugar into the pan, continue cooking as well;
• dilute citric acid with a tablespoon of warm water, pour into a saucepan, mix, cook for another 10 minutes;
• if the syrup remains, increase the heat and cook for another 2-3 minutes;
• pour candied fruits into a colander, leave for half an hour;
• transfer to a deck covered with parchment paper, dry in the oven for 5 hours at a temperature of +60 C.

To prepare candied melons in the oven, you need to use only high-quality parchment. Store unopened in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 months.

Candied melon calories

Candied fruits made from melons are not very high in calories, despite the fact that they contain quite a lot of sugar. One hundred grams of the product accounts for 320 kcal. This makes candied fruits useful for those who want to lose weight, as they are filled with vitamins and fiber, and calories are half that of chocolates.

Terms and conditions of storage

If stored incorrectly, candied fruits can become either too hard, or, conversely, watery and stick together into a single lump. Such a product not only loses quality, but also becomes harmful. Candied fruits that are in conditions of high humidity are prone to mold, and therefore become hazardous to health. Sticky candied fruits can also get E. coli very easily.

In summer, it is especially necessary to ensure that candied fruits are protected from dust, flies that carry bacteria, and worm eggs. This is fraught with salmonellosis, various poisonings and allergic reactions. There is such a terrible disease – intestinal myiasis. These are fly larvae that enter our body and begin to multiply and grow there. This disease affects people who have low acidity of gastric juices. Larvae in such conditions do not die, develop, cause diarrhea, vomiting and other symptoms of the disease.

Conclusion

Homemade candied melons are a rich source of vitamins on cold winter days. They will be a great addition to a hot cup of tea or a chocolate substitute for children, as well as for women who are watching their figure.