I found a new victim to candy: jalapeños. These small moderately hot but flavorful chiles are perfect candied to fill dessert flour tortillas or to garnish cupcakes. The sweet and spicy candied morsels are rather addicting, specially paired with chocolate paste made with dried chiles and dark chocolate.
I brushed 6-inch flour tortillas with melted butter, sprinkled a little sugar, then cooked in a dry hot skillet until the edges are crisp. A tablespoon or two of the chocolate paste is spread on the tortilla then topped with a few slices of the candied jalapeños. I stacked about 4 or 5 more tortillas before cutting into 4 pieces. Each wedge is served with whipped heavy cream and garnished with a piece of candied jalapeño. Sweet...spicy...sweet...Yummy.
I brushed 6-inch flour tortillas with melted butter, sprinkled a little sugar, then cooked in a dry hot skillet until the edges are crisp. A tablespoon or two of the chocolate paste is spread on the tortilla then topped with a few slices of the candied jalapeños. I stacked about 4 or 5 more tortillas before cutting into 4 pieces. Each wedge is served with whipped heavy cream and garnished with a piece of candied jalapeño. Sweet...spicy...sweet...Yummy.
Candied Jalapeños
6 jalapeños
1 cup sugar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
sugar for dredging, optional
2 chile ancho, washed and seeded
water
4 ounces panocha, piloncillo, or demerara
4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Place the chiles in a small saucepan and add enough water to cover. Boil for 10 minutes or until chiles are very soft. Remove half of the water and reserve. Puree in a blender, return to the saucepan together with the sugar, cloves, and cinnamon. Simmer for 3 minutes or until of desired consistency, adding the reserved water if you want it saucier.
1 cup sugar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
sugar for dredging, optional
- Cut off both ends of chiles and cut into thick slices. In a small skillet or saucepan, heat 1/3 cup of the sugar and ¼ cup water. Let come to a boil, turn down heat, add the jalapeños and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and transfer jalapeños on a plate, set aside to cool. Discard the syrup. Heat the rest of the sugar, the remaining water, and corn syrup. Let come to a boil, turn off heat, add the jalapenos and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove jalapeños and let cool. Repeat 2 more times or until the syrup has become really thick. Transfer the slices on a rack and let dry slightly. Roll on sugar if desired or leave overnight to dry completely.
2 chile ancho, washed and seeded
water
4 ounces panocha, piloncillo, or demerara
4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Place the chiles in a small saucepan and add enough water to cover. Boil for 10 minutes or until chiles are very soft. Remove half of the water and reserve. Puree in a blender, return to the saucepan together with the sugar, cloves, and cinnamon. Simmer for 3 minutes or until of desired consistency, adding the reserved water if you want it saucier.