Description
Tutti frutti is a vibrant, colorful candied raw papaya treat made by boiling papaya cubes in a sugar syrup infused with vanilla and food colorings. This sweet and chewy delicacy is commonly used to enhance desserts and baked goods with its festive appearance and delightful flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit
- 500 grams raw papaya / papita
Liquid & Sweeteners
- 7 cups water (divided: 4 cups for boiling papaya, 3 cups for sugar syrup)
- 2 cups sugar
Flavorings & Colorings
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 drops each of red, green, and yellow food color
Instructions
- Prepare the papaya: Peel the skin of the raw papaya and cut it into small cubes.
- Boil the papaya cubes: In a pot, boil the papaya cubes in 4 cups of water for 5 minutes until they become semi-transparent, indicating partial cooking. Drain off the water and set the papaya aside.
- Make the sugar syrup and combine: In a large kadai or pot, combine 2 cups sugar with 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Add the semi-cooked papaya cubes to the syrup and stir well.
- Cook in syrup: Boil the mixture for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check for a one-string consistency of the sugar syrup and ensure the papaya cubes become soft but still retain their shape.
- Flavor the mixture: Turn off the heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly to incorporate the flavor.
- Divide and color: Divide the cooked papaya and syrup into three equal parts. Add 4 drops each of the red, yellow, and green food colors to separate parts and mix well to evenly coat the cubes.
- Soaking: Allow the colored papaya cubes to soak for 12 hours or overnight to fully absorb the colors.
- Drain and dry: Drain off the sugar syrup carefully and spread the tutti frutti on kitchen towels to dry completely until they are no longer sticky.
- Combine and store: Once dried, mix all the colored papaya cubes together. The tutti frutti is now ready to use immediately or can be refrigerated for later use.
Notes
- The papaya cubes should be soft but not mushy to maintain a pleasant chew.
- One-string consistency means when you take a drop of syrup between your thumb and forefinger and pull apart, it forms a thin string.
- If you prefer natural colors, you can substitute food coloring with natural fruit or vegetable extracts.
- Store tutti frutti in an airtight container to maintain freshness and prevent stickiness.
- Tutti frutti can be used in cakes, ice creams, puddings, and sweets for added flavor and color.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert Ingredient
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: tutti frutti, candied papaya, Indian dessert ingredient, colorful candied fruit, sweet papaya cubes
