Candied Olives for an Unexpected Treat

The only reason I came across sweetened olives was because I took a chance on Christmas panettone. I tried the flavors from the fantastic panettone company Olivieri 1882 (they offer more flavors in the winter) and stopped in my tracks when I saw the white chocolate and olive panettone. It sounded absolutely disgusting. I had to get it.

I’m glad I took the chance to try this panettone because I was blown away by the flavor. I expected to be overwhelmed by the salty olives at odds with the sugary white chocolate chunks, but I found delicately sweetened olive chunks scattered throughout the light, airy loaf. The olives were tender but retained their integrity, they brought out the flavor of the white chocolate and were still the undisputed star of the sweet holiday bread.

Now I’m fully aware. We should all be adding candied olives to our dessert diet. After all, the olive is a fruit; how often olive oil aficionados comment on the presence of “fruity notes” in a certain blend. As unbearable as it may be, they are not wrong. Olives, especially the green Castelvetrano olives that I use for this recipe, can have a rich, green, fruity flavor. And only because we are accustomed to eating them after they have been soaked in a salty, tart brine, olives began to be used only in savory dishes and on cheese plates.

My position that olives are a savory food has completely collapsed. Not only are syrupy olives my favorite flavor of panettone, but I am convinced that candied olives can be used at home along with other sweet treats. They are strong enough to hold their shape in cakes but lend themselves happily to slicing, unlike nuts which can tear the crumb apart. Here’s how to make them at home from a store-bought jar.

How to candy olives

The panettone used green olives, and although I have not confirmed this with the company, they seemed similar to Castelvetrano olives, soft olives with bright, almost blue-green, fleshy flesh. The flavor of this strain is light and floral, and I think you can really taste the fruit. I took a jar from the store and got to work.

1. Stew olives

Since I don’t have an olive garden, my store-bought canned olives sit in brine. To wash off some of the brine from the fruit pulp, boil it in clean water. In a small saucepan, add about half a can of olives and about two inches of water. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer gently for about five minutes. Rinse them and repeat with fresh water.

2. Boil them in syrup.

Rinse the pan and olives. Add equal parts sugar and water to the pan. For half a jar of olives I used five ounces of water and five ounces of sugar. Although the olives will float, you will need enough simple syrup to coat the olives when you stir them. So if your pan is larger, you will need more syrup. Add the olives to the pan and bring to a low simmer. Let the olives simmer in the syrup for about 25 minutes, stirring every five minutes or so.

3. Let them sit

Turn off the heat and leave the olives in the syrup, stirring occasionally, for an hour or until they have cooled to room temperature.

The olives will be wrinkled – this is normal. They expanded and contracted a little. More importantly, you will notice that the flesh has darkened and become translucent. Great. A change in color and opacity means they have been properly candied. (If you think you’ll like to retain some of the brine’s salty flavor, boil the fresh water only once instead of twice.)

Get ready for olives like you’ve never tasted before. These candied castelvetranos are sweet from the first bite and are accompanied by the aroma of an olive garden in the spring. (I’ve never been to an olive garden, but I bet I’m right.) This is a delicate floral perfume that I enjoy from such an unexpected place. Strain the syrup from the candied olives and use it in vanilla or fruit flavored cakes, quick breads, blondies, cookies or just a pile of ice cream.

Castelvetrano Candied Olives Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup canned Castelvetrano olives (about 20-25 medium olives)

• 5 ounces sugar

• 5 ounces water

1. Place the olives in a small saucepan with two inches of clean tap water. Bring them to a low boil and let simmer for five minutes. Rinse the water and olives, then refill the pan and repeat.

2. Drain again and this time add sugar and water to form a simple syrup. Add the olives back to the pan. Bring to a boil and, stirring occasionally, let the olives simmer in the syrup for about 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the olives cool in the syrup, stirring occasionally, for an hour or until room temperature. Use immediately or store them in syrup in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container. I haven’t tested how long they will stay like this; Most syrup-coated candied fruits can be stored for six months to a year. However, if in doubt, try using it for a week.

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