An oriental delicacy, the joy of sweet tooth, the concentrated benefits of fruits, vegetables and berries - this is how candied fruits can be characterized. What this delicacy is, many know. But what good, besides gastronomic pleasure, they bring, only a few.
About the benefits and not only
In the broadest sense, candied fruits are pieces of sweet vegetables, fruits and / or berries boiled in sugar syrup. The process of their preparation came from the East, where they were considered and still remain a favorite treat. In fact, candied fruits replaced sweets there, because, despite the high calorie content and high sugar content, they preserve not only minerals, but also vitamins, among which the group B, A, PP and C are the leaders, do not forget about food fibers that ordinary sweets cannot boast of. That's just they can do harm if you do not know how to choose the right treat.
So, a distinctive feature of all candied fruits is their pastel shade, even if beets, strawberries or carrots were used for their preparation. This color is explained by the fact that the pieces are boiled for a long time and then undergo a drying procedure. And therefore, you should refuse to buy such bright sweets, because, most likely, they were tinted with special substances.
But the appearance itself will tell about the quality of the product. Each piece should be easily separated from the other, maintaining a characteristic shape. This is not, and the slices stick to each other - which means that the production and drying technology was not observed.
Do not be shy to check the elasticity of such goodies as candied fruits. What is it? They do not compress or after compression do not return to their original shape? You should refuse to purchase them, because such indicators indicate non-compliance with the storage procedure.
Why know all these subtleties of choice? The answer is simple - these sweets can be given to children, and they are one of the main ingredients for making Easter cake.
Easter cake with candied fruit - a simple recipe
It’s worth mentioning right away that you can cook it both in a single large form, and in muffin tins, while getting a classic Easter cake or small cupcakes. So, for its preparation you will need flour (about 600 grams), sugar (200 grams, or one standard glass), eggs in the amount of four pieces, butter - one pack weighing 200 grams, vanilla, salt, baking powder, orange and candied fruit.
What is this universal recipe that allows such widespread use? The whole secret is simplicity of preparation. So, the first thing is to knead the base. To do this, half the indicated volume of sugar is ground with room temperature oil and vanilla added in accordance with personal preferences. Next, beaten egg yolks, remaining sugar, orange juice and zest are introduced into this mixture. Just now you should add flour and baking powder. It is better to do this only after the flour is sifted. Candied fruits are added to the dough last. What is this about? Slices of candied fruit spread in the middle of the dough and mix evenly.
The shape of the future Easter cake is greased with oil, if necessary, and filled with dough. Bake at 180 degrees for a gas oven and 200 degrees for an electric oven for forty minutes. Cake should be decorated only in a cooled form, using icing of our own or industrial production.