Rhubarb is a stalky, slightly bitter vegetable, but due to its sheer versatility, you’d hardly know it. With a presence in everything from pies to tarts, the veggie is often given a fruit-like reframing, and it doesn’t take a lot of effort to do so. With just lemon and sugar, you can turn rhubarb into fruity-tasting sour candy.
Rhubarb has a subtle vegetal taste, but the immense tartness of the veggie makes it the perfect ingredient for homemade sour candy. Its sour bite masks the earthy undertones of the plant, especially when combined with sugar. When cooked, the bitter earthiness of rhubarb softens and turns sweeter, transforming it into a candy-worthy item. The veggie’s signature tart taste also fades slightly when heated, so a squeeze of lemon juice restores this while bringing an extra dose of sweetness to the rhubarb candy.
To make the treat, start by peeling the rhubarb into thin strips using a vegetable peeler. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the rhubarb strips and dip them in granulated sugar. Once the strips are fully coated in sugar, place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and heat at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes, or until the rhubarb is dry, yet sticky.
Rhubarb sour candy is for more than just snacking
The homemade candies do make a delicious treat, but the sweet and sour combination can elevate much more than snack time. Rather than just coating the rhubarb strips in fresh lemon juice and sugar, simmer them in simple syrup so you can reserve the syrupy liquid to make a kite tail cider cocktail or another fruity drink.
After one or two minutes of boiling in water, sugar, and lemon juice, the rhubarbs impart the syrup with a tart taste that’s incredible for sprucing up drinks. Additionally, the sour candy makes the perfect garnish for your fruity summer drink, whether that’s with cocktails that feature the veggie or another tangy ingredient, like grapefruit or lime. After the candy has cooled down, soak it in liquor for a few hours before using the spirit to make a drink that’s topped off with a strip or two of the sour rhubarb strips.
If you’re looking for another creative way to use the rhubarb candy as a garnish, add it to gourmet ice cubes for your cocktail. Paired with fresh berries or herbs, the swirled strips easily elevate the look (and taste) of your mixed drinks. Add it to ice cubes filled with rosemary and lime zest for a refreshing rhubarb Moscow mule, or to cubes packed with mint and mixed berries to brighten up a rhubarb blueberry basil mocktail.
