Candied Angelica

Candied Angelica is Angelica that has been "candied" (see cooking tips below.)

It is a very brilliant, almost neon green colour.

Candied Angelica is used in small quantities as a garnish for desserts, because it has a strong flavour. It can also be coated in chocolate and eaten as a sweet on its own. The stalks of Angelica that will be candied need to be tender. This necessitates harvesting young stalks, in April or May, before the flowers on the plants start to open.

You take off the leaves and leaf stems, and cut the stalks into pieces about 4 inches (10 cm) long. Put them into a pan of water, bring to a boil, let boil for 3 minutes, then drain.

Scrape off any tough skin, put back in a pan of fresh water, and boil for about 5 minutes until tender -- they will turn a bright green (some people cheat and add a pinch of baking soda to ensure a vivid green.) Drain and weigh them. Layer them in a bowl with white sugar between each layer, aiming to use as much weight of sugar as the drained stalks.

Let stand for 3 days, then put the contents of the bowl, sugar and all, with some water into a pot, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer until the Angelica stalks start to look clear. Then drain. ^‡

Roll the drained Angelica on waxed paper sprinkled with sugar, then leave to dry on a wire rack for 4 days. Pack in a jar (no syrup) and store in refrigerator.

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‡ If you wish, you can keep the syrup for other uses such as a topping for ice cream, or to add flavour to a fruit salad.Marzipan, coloured green.

Store Candied Angelica in a covered container can stay in the fridge for up to a year.

Candying Angelica has been done in southern France since the 1600s. The town of Niort, in the Poitu region of France, has specialized in Candied Angelica since the late 1700s. Their product is known as "Angélique de Niort." The industry in Niort was started by nuns, who would carve the pieces of stalk into figures.

Sometimes in North America Candied Angelica is called "French rhubarb."

Also called:

Candied Angelica

Chives, Herbs, Mint, Oregano, Potherbs