Sunday, January 29, 2012

Ginger Madness

Warning! This candied Ginger is very potent and will knock your socks off if you aren't used to it. 

Since the weekend was shaping up to be a wet, cool, and grey, I decided it was time to replenish a favorite Ginger treat in the house.

 To start I bought some organic Ginger and Sugar:

I immediately went to work on the hardest part of the process, peeling and slicing the Ginger. This part seems to take forever, but if you love Ginger as much as we do the end product is worth it.


After you have sliced the Ginger, place it in a pot with enough water to cover and add the Sugar to the Ginger and water. The amount of Sugar that I put in is an equal weight of Sugar and Ginger (measured after slicing and peeling). Then bring the pot to a boil and let it simmer for 30 - 40 minutes.


Once the Ginger is cooked, transfer the Ginger to a wire rack to allow it to dry. You can sprinkle some Sugar on top while it dries.


 Keep the Sugar water syrup, this is the bonus prize of the process. Keep the syrup in the fridge in an airtight container.


When you want a truly great tasting Ginger Ale, try a splash of the Ginger Syrup and some Sparkling Water. This Ginger Ale rocks! After all, the ingredients are just Ginger, Sugar, and water.


Getting back to the Ginger slices, we place them on the dehydrator for 3-4 hours once they are dry enough to handle.


The end product is a candied Ginger that will last a very long time. Each piece is 100x more flavorful than the store bought bulk candied Ginger. This recipe isn't as soft and sugary as the store bought stuff but is made with simple ingredients and not highly processed.

All the Ginger slices last about 1 1/2 months in our house, the Ginger syrup lasts about 3 - 4 days before it is gone.

Ginger has been used for years as a digestive aid, and to reduce inflammation in the body. Since we started eating Ginger the biggest thing that we have noticed is we are getting a deeper, better sleep.

Do you like Ginger as much as we do?  If you don't have a dehydrator, try placing the Ginger in the oven at a very low temperature and check on it frequently.

1 comment:

Wendy Irene said...

That looks de-lish! I wish I could have some right now. Happy Monday :)