Candied Clementines
February 4th, 2009
Stumble it!
When Valentine’s day rolls around, there are a lot of desserts to choose from. There’s a lot of red, and a lot of hearts, and lots of strawberries. In February. I’m not opposed to buying stuff out of season, but I decided to go with something a little different for a V-day dessert this year.
Clementines are in season, and they are totally yummy. They’re small, easy to peel, sweet as sugar, and seedless. You’d think that simmering them in simple syrup for a couple hours would be overkill, but in fact it actually tones down the sweetness, and brings out some of the bitterness of the peel. The sugary sweet clementines become more complex, slightly bitter, but retain their bright citrus flavor.
If you’re not into candying the whole fruit, I ran across this recipe online for candy-coating the segments. They’d stand in very nicely for the whole fruit, and it doesn’t take as long.
These make a simple but decadent dessert, topped with crushed pistachios, shaved bittersweet chocolate, and served with a small demitasse cup of hot cocoa. It’s the perfect treat for the darling clementine in your life.
Candied Clementines
Makes 12
12 Clementines, washed
4 Cups Sugar
3 Cups Water
Wash the clementines well. Pierce them 8-10 times with a toothpick. In a large, deep pot, combine clementines, sugar and water.
Bring to a simmer, covered, and simmer for 1-2 hours depending on the level of bitterness you’d like in your clementines. Be careful to simmer, and not boil! Let the clementines cool in the syrup. (Save the simple syrup for additions to drinks and desserts.)
Serve clementines with crushed pistachios and shaved chocolate.
Before you ask, I’m not exactly sure how to store these. I’d guess an airtight container, in the fridge to be safe. I’d bring them to room temperature before serving.
Hot Cocoa
Small Portions For two
2 Tbs Dutch Pressed Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 Tbs Sugar
1 Cup Soymilk (or other non-dairy milk)
Combine cocoa and sugar in a small pot. Add a dribble of soymilk and whisk to form a paste. Add the rest of the soymilk and heat until steaming. Serve in demitasse cups.
58 Comments Add your own
1. VeggieGirl | February 4th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Looks like a gem!!
2. chelsea | February 4th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
This looks amazing!!
3. Dayna | February 4th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Mmm, A few of my favourite things for sure.
4. Emily | February 4th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
When you say 1-2 hours depending on how bitter you like them, which is the sweet end and which is the bitter end? Would simmering for longer make them sweeter?
Longer seems to make them more bitter, oddly enough.
5. DJ | February 4th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Wow! Sounds just delicious – I’ve seen candied segments before, but never the whole fruit.
6. Shelby | February 4th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Whoa those are so vibrant and gorgeous!
7. Chris | February 4th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
This is totally new to me – I never knew you could candy whole fruit! These are gorgeous with a coating of shiny sugar and I’m sure the slight bitterness is a treat :) Oh man I really want to try these now!!
8. Laura | February 4th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Oh my lord this is absolutely stunning! I would never have thought to candy the whole fruit, but I suppose there’s no reason not to. The presenation is much nicer with the whole fruit.
9. Celina | February 4th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
These look yummy. How would one eat these? Peel and eat the segments? Cut into it with a knife and fork? Just curious. :)
10. Sara | February 4th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Those are magnificent! I bet they’d make a wonderful party dessert. :) Now to throw a party!
Did you find the simple syrup took on a nice citrusy flavor? I’ve got boozy drink ideas whirling around that a nice citrusy simple syrup sure wouldn’t hurt.
11. Pearl | February 4th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
How bright and pretty the clementine is!
12. Laurie Ellen | February 4th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Store candied fruit in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool, dark, dry place (like in a cabinet). Candied fruit can last for up to 24 months if stored properly.
13. Marika | February 4th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
This looks amazing – the perfect foil to a freezing day. Such beautiful photos,.
14. joan nova | February 4th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
a perfect picture…comforting, sweet and warm.
15. MsMarmitelover | February 4th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
That’s so weird. I just had the urge myself to make candied orange slices. This looks like a great recipe. I will definitely try it.
16. laura k | February 4th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Very intriguing! However did you come up with this idea? I’d love to give it a try. Maybe my non-sweets-eating boy would like these.
17. Liz | February 4th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
I’m also curious as to how exactly you go about eating these beautiful things… It looks amazing!
18. Kalinda | February 4th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Gorgeous! I think you’ve sold me on what treat to make my hubby for Valentine’s Day.
19. Amy | February 4th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
I made a cake once where I boiled whole clementines and pureed them (skin and all) in the food processor as a base for a cake. But I never thought of doing this! The picture is truly stunning! The only downside is I can’t get that song out of my head… ;)
20. Ed Coffin | February 4th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Interesting! I might have to try this and luckily clementines are super cheap at the market right now ;)
21. veggievixen | February 4th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
wow, so fancy! i never knew you could do that to whole clementines.
22. gail | February 5th, 2009 at 12:37 am
These are lovely, and I love the combination of clementine, chocolate, and pistachio. I will definitely be trying these!
23. Vanessa | February 5th, 2009 at 12:59 am
These look delightful. :)
24. Johanna | February 5th, 2009 at 5:48 am
These look amazing – I am not a huge fan of citrus and so a whole one would be a bit much for me but I have had a candied orange which I did keep in the fridge in an air tight container for ages and it was great in cookies, in fruit cake and I think I even used it in chutney. I also particular fancy trying chocolate covered candied orange (or clementine) some time!
25. Hanni | February 5th, 2009 at 8:00 am
wonderful alternative to the usual valentines day suspects. but how, my dear, do you eat this? do you peel the skin off and discard? Does the fruit inside taste like a clementine, or is the taste different because of the sugar coating on the skin? And what do you think about slicing these babies through the middle before cooking so that the fruit gets sugared?
You eat it skin and all with a fork. The insides do get sugared because you poke holes in the fruit before candying!
26. Janelle | February 5th, 2009 at 9:51 am
Oh. Wow. This looks spectacular!
27. Veggie Wedgie | February 5th, 2009 at 10:49 am
I love to eat fresh climentines! Sadly now in Greece they are out of season and strawberry season is just starting here! But I also love strawberries too!
28. B36Kitchen | February 5th, 2009 at 11:13 am
What a great idea for a dessert. I’ll be picking up some Clementine on my next shopping excursion.
29. Amey | February 5th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
very cool. they look beautiful and tasty too. I might try it with my meyer lemons. I have so many, I hardly can figure out what to do with all of them.
: )
30. The voracious Vegan | February 5th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
I’m making these for my guests this weekend. I’m sure they will be so impressed!
31. Jay | February 5th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Who though one could do this! Amazing, next time we buy clementines, I have to make this!
32. Bianca- Vegan Crunk | February 5th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Vegan Yum Yum, you never cease to amaze me! This looks so lovely and comforting, especially with the hot cocoa.
33. Sofia | February 6th, 2009 at 4:50 am
The best way to store them is in their syrop, in a jar…in the fridge and they will last for a very long time…u can also “can” them if u have quantity (My grandma “candies” many kind of fruits and we enjoy them all year round)
I really like the pistachio-chocolate topping…never tried it this way…
34. vegan on stage | February 6th, 2009 at 8:54 am
wow those are absolutely beautiful
35. Shiny Black Shoes | February 6th, 2009 at 10:18 am
the colour on these are amazing!
36. NAOmni | February 6th, 2009 at 11:01 am
I love these! They are sooooo beautiful! I posted about them on my blog, and gave you credit, but if you want me to change anything let me know!
NAOmni
37. Sukanya | February 6th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Yummy…. Mouthwatering photo. I will definitly try them one day.
38. ReneeK | February 6th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
These look delicious! They remind me of the candied fruits (and baby eggplants) my SO brought back from the Middle East. I will definitely have to make my own.
39. Rachelp | February 6th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Can you eat the peel?
40. Renny | February 6th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
I just found your blog and I think I’m in love. I just wished I’d found it before the bridal shower I threw last night! Oh well. Next time.
41. Joanie Simon | February 6th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Clementines make me happy. Sounds perfect!
42. Kayla Morrisey | February 6th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
Im a little confused.
I cooked them about 1 1/2 hours…maybe more.
They were pretty, but they tasted bitter and the coating was very watery, not syrup like, and certainly not candied. The insides where very mushy and some gushed out all over my guests. We were eating them with forks.
thankgod i made the hot coco cause at least we had that! :(
I wonder what went wrong…. any thoughts?
Also I LOVE YOUR SITE! Everything else I have made has turned out beautifully!
i just got the iphone and your app was the first one I put on it.
Its been lovely to have in the kitchen….like this morning when I made your pancakes!
k
Oh, I’m sorry they didn’t turn out! They’re not supposed to be gummy and really candied, they are syrupy and mushy on the insides with a candied peel that sort of bitter. I wonder if the holes you poked were too large? They are definitely on the mushy side, though, I also ate mine with a fork.
I’m sorry your dessert for your guests didn’t work out!
43. Chez Us | February 7th, 2009 at 11:49 am
I love candied kumquats, too. I have not tried to do with clementines, but will have too now! Thanks for this idea.
44. JessieG | February 7th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Wow, how unique! The color in the photo is stunning!
45. Janet | February 8th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
All I can think of is a song that I learned as a child “oh my darlin’ oh, my darlin’ oh my darrrrrrrlin’ Clementine….” Can’t remember the rest of it, but oh well. I think if I ever made this I would have that song stuck in my head forever. Anyways, it’s a very pretty Valentine’s day dessert!
46. Dorothy | February 9th, 2009 at 1:31 am
your photography is absolutely amazing! i love everything you do!
47. ina | February 9th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Hi Lolo! Great recipa but do you think this would work with brown sugar as well as normal sugar? Thanks!
48. Mindy | February 10th, 2009 at 7:32 am
This looks perfect for those two bags of clementines I was enticed to buy yesterday in the store!
49. dreaminitvegan | February 11th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
What a lovely bundt cake. This would be great for afternoon tea/coffee.
50. Valentine’s Day (Or&hellip | February 13th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
[...] recipe ever since I discovered it and a few days ago, I saw that Lolo over at Vegan Yum Yum has a similar but richer recipe which she recommends for Valentine’s Day. Then I had an idea: I’ve had some rose water [...]
51. Hi Kim! - - C’est L&hellip | February 17th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
[...] 1/2 Cup Candied Clementine Puree, around 5-8 clementines 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil 1 1/4 Cup Soymilk, or other non-dairy milk 1/4 [...]
52. » Solaris: The Cosm&hellip | February 17th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
[...] I’d already planned to use orange extract in my recipe, but discovered after reading this Valentine post that the Solaris would not be complete without the flavor and elegance of a candied orange on top! [...]
53. candied clementines, and &hellip | February 24th, 2009 at 1:49 am
[...] I read a recent post about candied clementines and a bundt cake that uses them I knew I had to try it, and [...]
54. snooky doodle | February 24th, 2009 at 2:09 am
these look amazing! I have to try them they look so good :)
55. Kim | March 5th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Hot chocolate tip: II like to make hot chocolate with almond milk instead of soymilk. To make it richer, I melt chocolate into it.
Almond milk can be expensive–don’t settle for more than $2 per tetra box (with 4 cups).
56. sara | March 8th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Yum, this looks amazing…gorgeous photos!
57. not cheesecake, times thr&hellip | April 27th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
[...] After using it with great success when making candied clementines and bundt cake, I revisited this method from VeganYumYum blog for candying the [...]
58. Scott Jones | July 6th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
OMG! These are soooo good. I cooked them with a few whole cloves and allspice. A tablespoon of the syrup topped off with champagne makes an incredible champagne cocktail while the clementine cake bakes!
Leave a Comment
Some HTML allowed:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed