• Drained Fruit or Candied Fruit is the technical term for semi-processed glacé fruit. They are sometimes also referred to as fruits preserved in syrup. After the candying process, these fruits are removed from the syrup and carefully drained before packing. They have clear and brilliant natural fruit colours and a pleasant fruity taste. However, as they are slightly sticky to the touch, they are mostly used by manufacturers of sweets and ice cream.
  
  
• Glacé or Glazed Fruit is the finished product. The fruits go through the same production process as the drained fruit. After drying, they are covered with a thin sugar glaze. This makes them ready-to-eat - the classical way to serve this delicious sweet.
  
  The temperature curve during the glazing process is decisive for the fine crystallization of the glaze, for its shine and stability.
  
  
  1. Warm glazing: In an open vat or cauldron, the glazing sugar solution ist heated to boiling point and held there for e few seconds to obtain the right concentration. It is then cooled down and through continuous mechanical rubbing, crystals are generated until the glaze becomes slightly milky, cloudy and foamy. The fruits are coated in this solution and dried on a stainless steel wire mesh.
  2. Cold glazing: The fruits are coated with a thin sugar glaze consisting of a sugar solution and powdered sugar to initialize the crystallisation. Afterwards they are heated and surface-dried.
     
     
• Crystallised Fruit is the technical term for candied fruit which has been drained, surface-dried and rolled in refined sugar crystals. This coating is less sensitive towards pressure and temperature/humidity variations as compared with glazing, and is used primarily for products offered "free rolling" or poured into containers for repacking.

The uses of Drained Fruits

The fruits can be covered in plain chocolate (best suited for most lines), milk or white chocolate. They can also be sliced or chopped and used for chocolate pralines - this works very well with pineapple, sour cherries, orange, lemon and ginger. Moreover, they are suitable as baking ingredient and for decorating (cut flowers, leaves, batonnettes etc.) cheese, meat, desserts and ice cream. Other uses are mustard marinades or preserving in rum, calvados, brandy etc.. The Biffar range includes individual lines and assortments.

The uses of Ginger

Candied Ginger is a delicacy in itself. The exotic flavour reminds one of flowers or fresh lemon (depending on its origin in China or Australia) and the delicious aroma forms a unique harmony with the sweetness. Covered in chocolate, it is transformed into fine bitter chocolate pralines. Candied ginger can also be served as an accompaniment to cheeses, or used as a baking ingredient (cut into smaller pieces) and as ingredient and decoration for fine and traditional desserts.

Storage of Candied Fruit and Ginger

Candied Fruit and Ginger have a residual water content which leads to a condensation process when exposed to wide variations in temperature. The glaze is sensitive to variations in air humidity. Optimal storage conditions are ca. 14-18 °C at a relative humidity of max. 70%. Never store Glacé or candied fruit or ginger in the refrigerator ! Should it be inevitable to expose products to much different room / climate conditions, allow them to adapt slowly. Temperature variations of less than 5°C do not cause problems.

The uses of the syrups

The syrups in which fruits or ginger have been preserved can be used in many different ways: for cooking, as ingredients of soups, sauces, desserts and soups; for exotic dishes; or for mixed drinks in the style of Kir Royal; or for alcohol-free drinks.

The sweetness of Candied Fruit

In general, fruits can be preserved in syrups made of sucrose, fructose or honey or other similar types of sugar. Sugar is the common term for beet or cane sugar, also referred to as sucrose. In natural sciences "the sugars" mean all sorts of single carbohydrates (mono-, di-, tri- and tetra-saccharides), generally easy to disolve in liquid, and with a sweet flavour, eg glucose, fructose, sucrose, lactose, maltose.

There are two main types:

• refined or white sugar, ie sugar in crystal form (different sizes depending on the dimensions of the crystals, eg sugar in crystals, powdered sugar, cube sugar or rock candy)
• liquid sugar