Strawberry–Black Pepper Pâtes de Fruit
By Andrea GearyPublished on September 23, 2025
Time
30 minutes, plus 1 hour cooling
Yield
Makes 32 squares
Ingredients
Before You Begin
This recipe requires Certo liquid pectin, which is sold with the canning supplies in supermarkets and hardware stores; do not substitute another form or brand of pectin. The gelling power of liquid pectin diminishes over time, so be sure to abide by the “best by” date. If using thawed berries, be sure to include any collected juices too. In order to have the correct amount of puree, it is important to measure the berries by weight. Use a digital thermometer and tilt the pan, if necessary, to ensure that the probe is sufficiently submerged. The temperature of the mixture will fluctuate; you’re looking for an average reading of 230 degrees. For higher elevations: Before making the recipe, use your thermometer to take the temperature of boiling water. If it’s below 212 degrees, note how many degrees below, and subtract that from 230 to find the temperature that will work for you. You can cut the candy into more fanciful shapes if desired, but the yield may change.
Instructions
- Process 12 ounces strawberries in blender until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Line 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan with 12 by 8-inch piece of aluminum foil, smoothing so foil is flush with pan sides and letting excess hang over long sides of pan. Transfer 1 envelope Certo liquid pectin to small bowl.
- Add 1½ cups sugar to puree and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, stirring frequently. Continue to cook, stirring frequently and adjusting heat as needed to prevent mixture from boiling over, until mixture registers 230 degrees, 7 to 9 minutes.
- Stir in pectin and return to rolling boil. Continue to cook at rolling boil, stirring constantly, for exactly 60 seconds. Off heat, stir in 1½ teaspoons lemon juice and ½ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper, if using. Moving quickly, carefully transfer to prepared pan (mixture will be hot). Let sit undisturbed until gel has cooled and solidified, 1 to 2 hours.
- Place wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Dust cutting board lightly with 1 tablespoon sugar. Grasping edges of foil, lift gel from pan and invert onto cutting board. Discard foil. Trim edges if desired and cut lengthwise into 4 rows; cut crosswise into 8 rows to create 32 squares.
- Place remaining sugar in bowl. Working in batches, transfer 8 squares to bowl of sugar and toss gently to coat. Shake to remove excess sugar and arrange on rack. (Pâtes de fruit may be served immediately. If not serving right away, let air-dry on rack for at least 6 hours before transferring to airtight container, placing sheets of parchment between layers. Store in cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks.)
Time
30 minutes, plus 1 hour coolingYield
Makes 32 squaresIngredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Making these fruity, colorful French confections requires only a handful of ingredients and 30 minutes of your time. We started by stirring sugar into a fruit puree over medium heat until the grains dissolved; then we cranked the heat and boiled the mixture briefly until the temperature reached 230 degrees, indicating that the sugar concentration was such that the pectin would be able to form a firm, sliceable gel. We stirred in liquid pectin and boiled it for exactly 60 seconds, during which the pectin chains linked to each other throughout the mixture to form a network. Stirring in a small amount of additional acid ensured optimum linking of the pectin. We poured the hot mixture into a loaf pan to set, and when it had cooled we turned it out and cut it into bite-size pieces. Dredging each piece in sugar added sparkle and prevented the pieces from sticking to each other.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
This recipe requires Certo liquid pectin, which is sold with the canning supplies in supermarkets and hardware stores; do not substitute another form or brand of pectin. The gelling power of liquid pectin diminishes over time, so be sure to abide by the “best by” date. If using thawed berries, be sure to include any collected juices too. In order to have the correct amount of puree, it is important to measure the berries by weight. Use a digital thermometer and tilt the pan, if necessary, to ensure that the probe is sufficiently submerged. The temperature of the mixture will fluctuate; you’re looking for an average reading of 230 degrees. For higher elevations: Before making the recipe, use your thermometer to take the temperature of boiling water. If it’s below 212 degrees, note how many degrees below, and subtract that from 230 to find the temperature that will work for you. You can cut the candy into more fanciful shapes if desired, but the yield may change.
Instructions
- Process 12 ounces strawberries in blender until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Line 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan with 12 by 8-inch piece of aluminum foil, smoothing so foil is flush with pan sides and letting excess hang over long sides of pan. Transfer 1 envelope Certo liquid pectin to small bowl.
- Add 1½ cups sugar to puree and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, stirring frequently. Continue to cook, stirring frequently and adjusting heat as needed to prevent mixture from boiling over, until mixture registers 230 degrees, 7 to 9 minutes.
- Stir in pectin and return to rolling boil. Continue to cook at rolling boil, stirring constantly, for exactly 60 seconds. Off heat, stir in 1½ teaspoons lemon juice and ½ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper, if using. Moving quickly, carefully transfer to prepared pan (mixture will be hot). Let sit undisturbed until gel has cooled and solidified, 1 to 2 hours.
- Place wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Dust cutting board lightly with 1 tablespoon sugar. Grasping edges of foil, lift gel from pan and invert onto cutting board. Discard foil. Trim edges if desired and cut lengthwise into 4 rows; cut crosswise into 8 rows to create 32 squares.
- Place remaining sugar in bowl. Working in batches, transfer 8 squares to bowl of sugar and toss gently to coat. Shake to remove excess sugar and arrange on rack. (Pâtes de fruit may be served immediately. If not serving right away, let air-dry on rack for at least 6 hours before transferring to airtight container, placing sheets of parchment between layers. Store in cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks.)
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