Candied Ginger

Candied ginger or glace ginger is fresh ginger which has been slowly cooked in sugar water and rolled in coarse sugar to preserve it. It has a wonderful sweet spicy taste and is a common ingredient used in desserts. Candied ginger makes a wonderful snack and is very good for the stomach.

It serves with distinction as an accompaniment to espresso and cakes in the afternoon, or Champagne and fruit in the morning. Given a bittersweet chocolate coating garnished with chopped macadamia or hazelnuts it is an elegant candy. It also garnishes pastries, custards, pumpkin pies, stewed fruits, cookies and many other desserts. It is even a welcome accompaniment to a curry. Virtually every recipe that calls for ground ginger can be enhanced by the addition of candied ginger.

It is commonly available in market or could be prepared at home by boiling 1 1/3 cups sugar with 1 cup water and then adding 1 cup peeled and chopped ginger pieces and simmering for 20 minutes. After that just strain and dry, then sprinkle with sugar.