Sugar crystallization is every pastry chef's nightmare.
But the solution turned out to be simple: lemon peels, which are usually thrown away.
Pastry chef Christina Tosi of Milk Bar in New York City calls them "nature's stabilizer":
"The acid breaks down sucrose into glucose and fructose, which crystallize more slowly."
Scientific evidence confirms this.
The pectin in the zest forms a gel network that retains moisture and prevents graininess.
A study in the International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science found that adding lemon peels reduced crystallization by 70%.
But it is important to prepare the ingredient correctly. Pastry chef Daria Tsvetkova advises:
"Use only the yellow part of the zest - the white part is bitter." On her blog, she demonstrates how to candied the rinds and add them to strawberry jam: "It's like having two desserts in one - jam and candied fruit."
Social media users are delighted. One tweet reads:
"My jam used to be like a lollipop, now it's smooth as silk."
Author: Valeria Kisternaya
