Prickly Pear Candy Recipes

CACTUS CANDY

Steps:

• Select prickly pear cactus. Remove spines and outside layer(skin) with large knife(this can be bought already spined in stores).I found this at Walmart!. Cut pulp across in slices one-inch thick.
• Soak overnight in cold water. Remove from water, cut in 1" cubes and cook in boiling water til tender. Drain.
• Heat the sugar and water until sugar is dissolved. Then add cactus. Cook slowly in the syrup until nearly all the syrup is absorbed. Do not scorch! Remove cactus from syrup, drain and roll in granulated or powdered sugar. For colored cactus candy, any vegetable food coloring may be added to the syrup.

PRICKLY PEAR JELLY

Steps:

• Bring juice to a boil in a medium sized sauce pan over high heat.
• Once boiling, add pectin and stir quickly for 1 minute.
• Turn off heat and add lemon juice and sugar. Mix well.
• Return to a hard boil and stir for ~3 minutes or until the syrup becomes thick.
• Remove from heat and skim off any foam that formed while boiling.
• Once done, carefully fill a mason jar (I used a wide mouth funnel) and allow to cool. I let my jelly set up overnight.
• Cover and refrigerate (lasts around 2 weeks).
• If keeping in pantry:
• Boil enough water to cover your mason jar and lid. This will sterilize it. When jam is ready to be removed from heat, carefully remove mason jar and lid.
• Carefully pour jam into the mason jar (I used a wide mouth funnel).
• Place lid on and turn over the jar. Leave upside down for 10 minutes.
• This will seal the jam and allow you to store it in the pantry/counter/etc. I let my jelly set up overnight.
• Refrigerate after opening. Enjoy!