Crystallized Pineapple

                   With a sharp knife, cut off the top and base of the pineapple. Slice off the hard skin. Cut the pineapple crosswise into slices about 1 cm  ( 1/2 inch ) thick. Press a small biscuit cutter or apple corer into the center to remove the tough core.

                Weigh the prepared fruit and place it in a large stainless steel pan. For every 500 g (1 lb.) of fruit add 250 ml (1/2 pint ) of water. Set the pan on a medium heat and cook the fruit until just tender - about 15 minutes. Set a stainless steel rack over a tray. Lift out the fruit with a slotted spatula and place it on the rack to drain. Reserve the cooking liquid.

                Measure the reserved cooking liquid and for every 250 ml (1 cup or half a pint ), weigh out 175 g   ( 6 oz ) of sugar, or 125 g ( 4oz ) of Glucose and 60 g ( 2oz) sugar. Put the sugar in the pan with the cooking liquid, and add the glucose if it is used. Set the pan over a medium heat. Stir regularly until the sugar dissolves.

                Place the drained fruit in a large, shallow, non-metallic dish. Bring the syrup to the boil and then remove the pan from the heat. Pour the hot syrup over the fruit. Press a sheet of greaseproof paper on to the surface of the syrup to keep the fruit moist. Leave the fruit for 24 hours.( 1 )

                The next day, set the stainless steel rack over the tray as before. Remove the greaseproof paper from the fruit. With a slotted spatula, lift out the fruit from the syrup and place it on the rack to drain. Pour the syrup from the dish  into a measuring jug, add any syrup that has drained from the fruit, and, for every cup (1/2 pint) of syrup, add 60 grams (2oz) of sugar. Pour the sugar and syrup from the measuring jug into a heavy pan. Set the pan over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Transfer the fruit from the rack to the non-metallic dish. Pour the syrup over the fruit. Cover the dish with greaseproof paper and leave the fruit undisturbed for a further 24 hours. ( 2 )

                On each of the next five days, repeat the above procedure. ( 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, )

                On the eighth day, add 90 grams ( 3oz ) of sugar for every cup (1/2 pint) of syrup. Boil the syrup and pour it over the fruit; leave it for 48 hours. ( 8, 9 )

                Repeat for the above for the tenth day and leave for a further four days.( 10, 11, 12, 13 )

                On day fourteen, use a slotted spatula to lift the fruit from the syrup on to a stainless steel rack set over a tray. To dry the fruit, place the tray in a barely warm oven for at least four hours. The fruit is ready when it no longer feels sticky to the touch. Cut the slices of crystallized pineapple into 3cm ( 1 1/2 inch) segments.

                To store crystallized fruits, place them in layers between sheets greaseproof paper in an airtight box or tin and leave the container in a dry place. The fruits will keep indefinitely.