These are my twist on the traditional pate de fruit, which are sold all over France. At this time of year you see boxes of them everywhere; little cubes of fruit sparkling with sugar, all different colours and flavours, all made the same way with fruit puree, sugar and pectin. They are essentially a very firmly set jam and you can make them with any fruit you’d make jam with. Pectin is the setting agent here so they are suitable for anyone to eat, even those who avoid gelatine. Pate de fruit can be tooth-achingly sweet, and because I am a lover of sour sweets (strawberry fizzy bootlaces are the way to my heart), I add a little citric acid to the sugar that I roll mine in, just enough to make your tongue tingle.
ingredients
250ml raspberry or other fruit puree
300g granulated sugar (plus more to roll in)
8g pectin (see note below)
1/2 lemon juice squeezed
Citric acid to taste (available online or from hardware stores, cooks hops or pharmacies)
Method
Line a small square or rectangular dish with cling film.
Pour the puree into a heavy bottomed saucepan. In a separate bowl mix together the sugar and pectin.
Heat the puree to a boil over medium/high heat and slowly start adding the sugar and pectin mixture to it in about 3-4 additions, stirring well and waiting for the mixture to return to a boil each time before adding the next addition.
Once all of the sugar mixture has been added, bring your puree to a boil, whisking constantly. Heat until 221F/105C whisking constantly. This can take a while, between 5-10 minutes, the mixture will thicken considerably
Remove from heat and whisk in the lemon juice. Pour immediately into your cling film lined dish – don’t worry it won’t melt the clingfilm. Leave to cool until firm.
Tip onto a board and cut into cubes. Toss in granulated sugar mixed with a little citric acid – I can’t give you exact measurements for this because it really is a matter of taste – have fun experimenting – sugar and citric acid is basically sherbet – another of my favourite sweets. Line-up your sugar dusted cubes on cooling rack and leave out on the kitchen workshop for a day or so to dry. Once dried they will store in an airtight contain for a few weeks – if they last that long.
A note about pectin – you need proper pectin for this recipe. Do check the packet – often the ones you buy in the preserving or baking section of supermarkets aren’t pure pectin so you need to use a lot more to get a set. I buy mine online and use a brand called Patis Decor – it’s called Pectine 325NH and I always get great results with it. Citric acid is readily available online too. I use it for this recipe and also in things like my elderflower cordial.
