Description
If you're a fan of sour gummy candies, then you're going to love these sour watermelon rind candies. They're made with watermelon rinds, which are normally just discarded, and they taste super similar to Sour Patch Kids Watermelon.
This recipe is definitely on the trickier side, but the end result is so worth it!
Ingredients
- 450g (about 4 cups) watermelon rind, peel off skin and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
- 300g (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon citric acid, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Peel the outermost green peel off of your leftover watermelon rinds and cut them into 1/4-inch thick slices with a knife or a mandoline.
- Place the rinds in a shallow container and pour the sugar over the watermelon rind slices, then stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours, or overnight.
- The watermelon will release a lot of water. Transfer the watermelon rind and all of the liquid into a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.
- Add 1 cup of water to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. The water will boil off for about 15-20 minutes or so, and in the process the watermelon will become glassy and translucent.
- If you're using a candy thermometer (which we strongly suggest), you'll notice the temperature will start to climb into the 220˚F range. Keep cooking until the temperature reaches 235˚F - 240˚F, about 10-12 minutes, then move to a wider, shallower pan* (more surface area is better here) over low heat. We use a 12-inch skillet.
- The goal now is to dry out the sugar without burning it, so stir frequently and keep a close eye on the mixture. If you start to get a burnt sugar smell or golden brown color, remove from heat immediately, stir, and then return to low heat in a minute or two.
- Keep stirring until the sugar starts to dry out and crystallize on the watermelon rind. Once you see the sugar has mostly crystallized, add 1 tablespoon of citric acid to the candied rind and stir to coat.
- At this point, there should not be any remaining liquid in the pan. Transfer the candy out onto a wire baking rack set atop a sheet pan, and use tongs to unfurl any pieces that have curled up during the cooking process.
- Optional: Sprinkle on more citric acid, depending on how sour you like your candy. Keep stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month, or longer in the refrigerator or freezer.
Notes
Use a peeler to remove the dark green part of the rind. Even if you cook this part down, it becomes too bitter and tough in the end. We also kept a little bit of the red part of the watermelon on the rind so the color comes through in the final product, but this will work fine if you only use the light green part of the rind.
*Pot sizes matter: We like to start cooking the watermelon in a narrower pot so that the water doesn't boil off too quickly. We want to soften up the watermelon in this phase of the cook and then bring the sugar slowly up to temperature. Then, we pour it out into a larger pot because we want the opposite effect - to dry out the sugar syrup as quickly as we can without burning it. The extra surface area of the larger pan is key to quick drying without burning the sugar.
Monitor the temperature. We use a candy thermometer to make sure the sugar never gets above 240˚F, and then in the final stages of the cook, you'll want to use your eyes and your nose. If you start to smell burnt sugar or the color of the sugar starts to darken, remove the candy from the heat and stir it around to cool it off before returning to low heat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Maceration Time: 6 hours
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 217
- Sugar: 54.8 g
- Sodium: 2.9 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 55.9 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 0.5 g