How to make the tangerine candy from the pursuit of jade

Wash one tangerine thoroughly, removing all dirt. For a deeper clean, use salt to scrub the skin if desired.

Cut the tangerine in half and squeeze out all the juice. Set the juice aside.

Carefully separate the fruit from the peel. You can eat the fruit or set it aside.

Cut the tangerine peel into small strips or large chunks, as preferred.

Place the tangerine peels in a pot of boiling water. Boil for 15 minutes to remove bitterness.

Drain the tangerine peels and discard the water.

Add rock sugar, lemon juice, the boiled tangerine peels, and tangerine juice to a pot. Heat on low-medium.

Stir constantly until all the rock sugar is melted.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Continue stirring for 5–7 minutes.

*If you have a candy thermometer, heat the mixture to 245–250°F (firm ball stage). Remove from heat when it reaches this temperature.

* If you don’t have a thermometer, use the cold water test: Drop a spoonful of the hot mixture into cold water. If it forms a ball that holds its shape but flattens when pressed, it’s ready. Remove from heat.

Quickly whip the hot mixture until it becomes creamy and caramel-colored.

Pour the candy mixture onto parchment paper. Let it cool for 10–15 minutes.

When cool enough to touch, roll the candy into small balls by hand.

* Optional: Toss the candy balls in a little rice flour to prevent sticking.

* For presentation, wrap each candy in parchment paper or store it in a jar.