Dryad's Saddle Chili Lime "Watermelon" Candy
A Tajin-inspired candy recipe (using a dehydrator) for watermelon-flavored dryad's saddle mushroom.
Servings: 10
Equipment
- 1 Dehydrator
Ingredients
- 2 cups dryad's saddle mushroom small pieces, thinly sliced
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 lime zest and juice
- 1/2 cup sugar for coating
- 1 Tbsp. chili lime salt OR Tajin seasoning for coating
Instructions
- Combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat until it dissolves.
- Wash dryad’s saddle and chop or cut into small, thin pieces totaling about 2 cups. Younger specimens (about the size of your hand or smaller) are more tender. Discard the tough, black, corky part of the stem into your compost.
- Zest and juice lime. Add into hot sugar solution and mix well.
- Add dryad’s saddle pieces into the sugar and lime mixture, still over medium heat.
- Simmer for about 45 minutes or until the ‘sauce’ has reduced to a thick coating and the dryad’s saddle pieces are translucent. If it seems to be taking too long for the water to evaporate, you can turn it up to medium-high heat, but be very careful near the end of the cooking process so it doesn’t scorch. There should be very little leftover liquid sitting in the pot.
- Mix ½ cup sugar and 1 Tbsp. chili lime salt (or Tajin seasoning) together in a separate bowl.
- Use a slotted spoon to ‘drain’ the cooked dryad’s saddle pieces and then mix them into the coating so that each piece is completely covered (or add pieces into coating one by one).
- Place on parchment paper fit to a dehydrator tray, ensuring separation between pieces.
- Dehydrate at around 145° F for about 48 hours to prevent candies from becoming too sticky when stored. I enjoyed it dehydrated to the point where the inside was still chewy, but you could dehydrate for longer for a harder candy too. Store sealed in a dry place or in refrigerator for best results. If the candy becomes sticky, return them to the dehydrator for longer. A light dusting of tapioca starch can help prevent stickiness.
