Definition

1. Noun:
   • Fruit preserved in sugar: "crystallized fruit" refers to pieces of fruit that have been cooked in a concentrated sugar syrup and then coated or encrusted with sugar crystals. This process preserves the fruit and gives it a sweet, candied texture and appearance.

Usage

• Noun:
  • The bakery uses crystallized fruit in its traditional holiday cakes.
  • She offered a bowl of crystallized fruit as a sweet treat to her guests.

Advanced Usage

• As a confectionery ingredient: Crystallized fruit is often used as an ingredient in baked goods like fruitcakes, panettone, or stollen.
  • The recipe calls for a cup of finely chopped crystallized fruit.
• As a decorative element: Due to its glossy, sugary coating, it is sometimes used to decorate desserts.
  • The chef garnished the pudding with slices of crystallized orange peel.

Variants and Related Words

• Candied fruit: This is a common synonym for crystallized fruit. The terms are often used interchangeably, though "candied" can sometimes imply a softer texture.
• Glacé fruit: This term specifically refers to fruit that has been candied and then given a glossy, ice-like sugar coating.
• Fruit preserve: A broader category that includes jams, jellies, and marmalades, where fruit is preserved with sugar but not necessarily crystallized.

Synonyms

• Candied fruit: Fruit preserved by saturation in sugar syrup.
• Glacé fruit: Fruit that is candied and has a shiny, hard sugar coating.

Related Phrases

• To crystallize: While this verb often refers to the formation of crystals (e.g., in chemistry or honey), in a culinary context, it can describe the process of forming a sugar coating on fruit.
  • The syrup will crystallize around the fruit as it cools.

Noun

1. fruit cooked in sugar syrup and encrusted with a sugar crystals