Catholic Recipe: Sugarplums

Also Called: Candied Fruits

In the fourth century when the desert in Egypt sheltered many hermits, most famous was Macarius the Younger. He did not become a hermit until the middle of his life. He had been a sugarplum merchant, and that is why he became the patron of pastry cooks and confectioners. His own product, sugarplums, a term once used only for candied fruits, is today a synonym for sweets of any kind. In our day sugarplums are more apt to be replaced by glacéed fruits.

DIRECTIONS

Cover sugar with enough water to dissolve, and let boil to a syrup. Place fruit in a pan and pour syrup over it. Turn fruit lightly by shaking pan until all parts are coated. Set to cool, and when this is done pour off syrup and set pan on its side so that the liquid may be well drained off. Should be prepared two days in advance so that glaze will form.