Candied Ginger(alton Brown)

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• nonstick cooking spray
• 1 lb fresh gingerroot
• 5 cups water
• approximately 1 pound granulated sugar

Recipe

• 1 spray a cooling rack with nonstick spray and set it in a half sheet pan lined with parchment.
• 2 peel the ginger root(use the back of a spoon, it gets into all the grooves) and slice into 1/8-inch thick slices using a mandoline. place into a 4-quart saucepan with the water and set over medium-high heat. cover and cook for 35 minutes or until the ginger is tender.
• 3 transfer the ginger to a colander to drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. weigh the ginger and measure out an equal amount of sugar. return the ginger and 1/4 cup water to the pan and add the sugar. set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar syrup looks dry, has almost evaporated and begins to recrystallize, approximately 20-40 minutes. make sure you continously stir. it may feel like you've been stirring the ginger forever, but when it starts to crystallize, it will happen very quickly.
• 4 transfer the ginger immediately to the cooling rack and spread to separate the individual pieces. once completely cool, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. save the sugar that drops beneath the cooling rack and use to top ginger snaps, sprinkled over ice cream or to sweeten coffee.
• 5 any liquid can be used to flavor tea or used for hot tea. some people said they had to cook it longer. it's worth every minute. :).