Sour Watermelon Fruit Chews (Printer-friendly)

Chewy fruit chews with sweet watermelon flavor and tangy sugar coating

# What You'll Need:

→ Fruit Base

01 - 1 cup seedless watermelon, pureed and strained
02 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
03 - 1/4 cup light corn syrup

→ Gelling & Sweetening

04 - 2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin powder
05 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar

→ Sour Coating

06 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1 tablespoon citric acid powder

# How To Make It:

01 - Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it to prevent sticking.
02 - In a small saucepan, mix watermelon puree, corn syrup, and lemon juice. Stir thoroughly to combine.
03 - Sprinkle gelatin powder evenly over the mixture. Let it sit for 5 minutes to bloom and soften.
04 - Add granulated sugar to the saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until gelatin and sugar completely dissolve. Do not let the mixture boil.
05 - Pour the hot mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth the surface evenly and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
06 - Refrigerate uncovered for 2 hours or until the candy is completely set and firm.
07 - In a bowl, combine 1/3 cup granulated sugar and citric acid powder. Mix well.
08 - Cut the set candy into small squares using a sharp knife. Roll each piece in the sour sugar mixture to coat evenly on all sides.
09 - Store chews in an airtight container, separating layers with wax paper to prevent sticking.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • These capture that perfect movie theater sweet and sour combo without any artificial colors or flavors
  • The texture walks this incredible line between gummy and chewy that store bought candy never quite achieves
02 -
  • If your mixture boils, the gelatin breaks down and you will end up with syrup instead of chewy candy
  • Room temperature matters immensely, make these on a cool day or turn down your air conditioning
03 -
  • Work quickly once you start cutting because the sugar coating clumps if the candy warms up from your hands
  • Invest in a good citric acid source, cheap brands can have a metallic aftertaste that ruins everything

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