Candied Roselle
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Preserve roselle in sugar into Candied Roselle. It surprisingly still retains crunchiness and the taste is similar to sweetened cranberries.
My mom often bought candied roselle when I was little. I still remember that it used to be one of our favorite sweets during that time. These maroon fruit gradually became scarce here and the candied roselle we frequently bought also could not be found anywhere again.
You still can find roselle, but it is usually sold in dry form in the market. So, when I found fresh roselle during my out of town trip, I just cannot resist to bring it home. I decided to try making candied roselle for the first time and it turned out to be extremely easy. The candied roselle still retained its crunchy texture and the taste was very similar to sweetened cranberries.
Tips on Making Candied Roselle
1. How to deseed roselle
Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is a species of Hibiscus that grows in tropical climate. The plant reaches about two meters in height, has beautiful bright white to pale yellow flowers, and a stout fleshy and bright red as the fruit matures.
The calyx is the red colored pointed pods found on the hibiscus that protect and support the hibiscus plant. It is primarily the part of the plant used to be eaten. Inside the calyx is a green round seed pot that is attached to the base of the fruit.
To remove the seed pods from the calyx, you can easily use an apple corer. Place it at the bottom of the calyx and with a twist push motion, the corer should easily cut through and push out the seed pod to the other end. If you do not have an apple corer like me, just take a sharp knife, cut the bottom, and peel the edible calyx with your hand.
You can replant the seeds in seed pods to grow your own roselle. You can also use the pods in jams as they are full of natural pectin.
2. Blanch the roselle
Blanching helps preserve vitamins, texture, and color and is also an effective way to remove surface dirt, hidden bugs, and organisms. Do not blanch too long, just blanch the calyces for 2-3 minutes in boiling water. After that, drain the water and submerge the calyces in ice water. Do not leave it long in water or the roselle can become soggy.
3. Do not throw away the roselle water
You can drink the cooking water from blanching the calyces. Check out my Roselle Tea recipe to learn the health benefits of drinking Roselle Tea.
My mom finished the rest candied roselle and asked me to make some more if I got more fresh roselle. Next time, I would like to try making the sugary-dried version of candied roselle just like the one I ate when I was little.
More Roselle Recipes
While you are here, check out also these roselle recipes!
Ingredients
- 17.5 oz (500 gr) fresh roselle
- 1 cup (200 gr) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Peel the calyces and discard the seed pods. Rinse the calyces.
- Blanch the calyces into boiling water for 2-3 minutes.
- Drain the water and submerge the calyces immediately in ice water.
- Drain the water. Mix with 3/4 cup (150 gr) sugar until well combined. Put them into a container and cover the calyces with the rest 1/4 cup (50 gr) sugar.
- Refrigerate for 1 week and it’s ready to be served.
After I blanched the petals they were mushy.
Hi Melisa, if the roselle petals turn mushy, it means you overcook them. You need to blanch for a short time, immediately drain the water and plunge the blanched petals into the ice bath to stop the cooking process. The ice bath method is important to keep the petals crisp.
Thank you for the recipe. Super love this sweet and tangy roselle sweets
Can i have the recipe for rossele cake?