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1
First, peel that ginger.
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2
(I find the quickest and least wasteful way to peel ginger is with the side of a teaspoon.
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3
Holding the teaspoon at a slight angle and with the back of the spoon facing you scrape down the ginger.
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4
The skin comes off so much easier.)
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5
Now chop it into small dice.
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6
Cover your ginger with the 3 cups of water and simmer over medium heat, with the lid on, for 20 minutes in a LARGE saucepan*.
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7
It will still feel quite firm at this stage.
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8
Strain into a jug, catch all of the ginger pieces in your strainer and reserve all the liquid.
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9
Put 2 1/2 cups of the reserved liquid and 2 1/2 cups sugar in the saucepan and add back in the ginger pieces.
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10
Bring this mix up to a rolling boil and keep it there until your sugar thermometer reaches 106C or 225F.
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11
(This stage is likely to take longer than you think.
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12
I find that it quickly nearly reaches the temperature but takes a good ten minutes to actually hit 225F/106C.
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13
Watch it though.
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14
Once it reaches the correct temperature take it off the heat.
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15
Strain the ginger straight away while it is still hot (reserving the syrupy liquid for your lattes and ice-cream) and toss the ginger pieces into more sugar until they are coated.
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16
Let cool then keep in the fridge.
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17
(My crystallized ginger is pink because I had less sugar in the house than I thought and ended up using my experimental batch of rose scented sugar).
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18
(I also want to add just two things.
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19
1) Please be careful when working with any hot liquid but especially hot sugar and 2) * Use a much bigger pan than you think you will use.
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20
When the sugary water comes to a rolling boil it will at least triple in size.
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21
A bigger pan will educe the risk of spills and burns.)
