Rubyfruit Candies: Strawberry Pâte de Fruit

I loved seeing the jewel-like pâte de fruits in Parisian patisseries. I’m sad to report that I didn’t eat nearly enough of them during my stay in Paris, so I was delighted when I recently found a pâte de fruit recipe while perusing Tasty Kitchen, posted by Tracy from SugarCrafter. Inspired by the rhubarb version Tracy posted, I decided to make strawberry pâte de fruits. Luckily, I had strawberries that were almost past their prime (from the same CSA delivery I was stressing about in a previous post), and so the purée required for pâte de fruit was a perfect use for them. I am so looking forward to many more berry versions of this recipe now that the summer fruit season is upon us!

Strawberry Pâte de Fruit

adapted from SugarCrafter

3/4 c strawberry juice (about 10-12 oz whole berries)

2 c granulated sugar

1 (3 oz) envelope liquid fruit pectin

2 t lemon juice

1. Line an 8 x 8" inch baking dish with parchment paper, crisscrossed and extending over the sides of the pan. Purée strawberries and strain the juice into a large sauce pan. The mixture will bubble up and froth when boiling, so you’ll need a sauce pan large enough to allow room.

2. Heat strawberry juice, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of sugar in the sauce pan over medium heat until the mixture reaches 113 degrees Fahrenheit. Add in remaining sugar. Continue cooking approximately 10 minutes until the mixture reaches 238 degrees Fahrenheit, then pour in pectin. Continue to boil and stir for 1-2 minutes.

3. Remove the sauce pan from the heat and immediately pour the hot mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar and let set for 2 hours.

4. When set, carefully lift out of pan using the overhanging parchment paper. Cut into 1″ squares and roll in sugar until well-coated. 

Strawberry