Candied fruit !
A gourmet and artisanal pleasure from Vaucluse!
Glistening, crystalised, sugary and always appetising, candied fruit is never missing from our end of year celebrations. A typical Provencal product, they’re great for either placing under the Christmas tree or on the table where they can be feasted on by those who are fond of good food, and by the old and young alike. In this field, Vaucluse is a true Master confectioner, and Apt has been transformed into the capital of candied fruit. The National Counsel of Culinary Arts has awarded it the appellation “Fruits confits d’Apt” (Apt Candied Fruit), which has earned the city the title of “Site Remarquable du Goût”. And its notoriety has increased since its classification in 2018 as part of France’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, in competition for UNESCO. So, here is a delight of Vaucluse to be discovered without moderation!
Le roi du fruit confit à Apt
The king of candied fruit in Apt Situated between Lourmarin and Roussillon, La Maison du fruit confit – the jewel in Apt’s crown, is an unmissable emblem of Vaucluse, even more so as the holidays approach! Thanks to the historical heritage of the local sector and its expertise, the company has made a name for itself in the art of confectionery. In the shop, cherries, melons, apricots… and many more gems take centre stage. All of them have been sorted, naturally coloured, and hand-crafted to form fruit jellies, and to fill up jars and verrines. At Christmas time, don’t hesitate to order a box of glazed fruit, delivery is free for orders of €30 euros or more.
A firm favourite
And if you fancy a change from candied fruit, glazed fruit is also a lovely gourmet treat – consider it!
Galapian d’Apt recipe by the Maison du fruit confit
Prep time: 1 hour – Cooking time: 30 minutes
At Aptunion – the flower of Apt – the less flattering fruits are handed over to local artisans of taste. Among these are the Roumanière de Robion (Gold Medalist at the 2019 Agriculture Show) who make excellent jams, and 2 Apt bakeries who produce meringues and the Galapian whose recipe is below.
For the pastry dough: mix the flour, almond powder and icing sugar. Next, using your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry mixture until you get fine crumbs. Incorporate the egg and water into the mixture and stir quickly to form a ball of dough. Spread the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and place in a pie dish. Prick with a fork, cover, and place in the fridge.
For the filling: mix the almond powder with 40g of sugar. Beat the egg whites with the remaining 40g of sugar until they form stiff peaks. Gently add the egg whites to the almond paste and sugar mixture. Chop the candied melon into thin slices and use them to garnish the pie bottom, then cover completely with the filling. Bake for 30 minutes.
For the honey syrup: bring the water and honey to the boil, stirring until the mixture has a syrupy consistency. Pour over the pie and leave to cool.
Ingredients
For 8 persons:
For the pastry: 160g floor
20g almond powder
60g icing sugar
100g butter
1 egg
For the filling : 250g candied melon
16 candied cherries
4 egg whites
