This is a refrigerator preserve and not intended to be sealed and stored in the pantry. The recipe makes about one jar of candies which last about one month in this house. The candies are sweet and lightly crunchy. You're going to love them.
*See Kitchen Notes for more information.
Bring the water, sugar, salt, and lime/lemon juice to a boil. Add the diced watermelon rind, lemon zest strips, and star anise (if using). Lower the heat to medium low, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally or until the fruit is translucent and the syrup has reduced by at least half and thickened*.
Transfer the watermelon rind to a clean pint jar with a lid and let cool.
You can cut the pieces into larger strips if you choose, but you will have to cook it longer and add a touch more water for the rind to cook through and become translucent.
The spice - If you aren't a fan of star anise which has a slight licorice flavor, then omit it altogether. You could replace it with a large cinnamon stick or 5 cardamom pods if you choose. My mother liked her preserves with no spice of any kind, whereas I like the star anise flavoring and the candied lemon zest, but then I love anything with a hint of licorice and who doesn't like candied lemon zest.
Cooking process - Once the watermelon rind candies becomes translucent, they are pretty much ready. At this point the syrup should have reduced by at least half and become thick. If your syrup is still too thin, then turn up the heat and cook it faster, stirring constantly until the syrup thickens into a heavy syrup. The candies don't need to be covered by the syrup when transferred to a jar. Normally, once the rind is transferred, the syrup only comes about halfway up the jar.
How to use these watermelon rind candies - Just eat them like you would a piece of candy. Serve as an after dinner sweet, or afternoon snack. I usually just eat them straight out of the jar when I want a little something sweet. You could also fold into cake, muffin or cupcake batter, or bread recipes that call for candied fruits. I love using a few in this Fruit and Nut Yeast Bread.
The amount you end up with depends on the size of the watermelon as well as the thickness of the rind. So final amounts may vary.
These candies lasts up to 6 months or maybe longer in the refrigerator. It’s hard to say since it disappears pretty fast in this house and that’s with me being “good”.
Recipe author: MJ of MJ's Kitchen