method
1. Stone cherries, plums, peaches and apricots. Peel and core pineapple and cut into cubes or rings. Peel, core and quarter apples and thinly slice citrus fruits. Prick cherry skins with a cocktail stick to extract the maximum flavour.
2. Place enough prepared fruit in a saucepan to cover the base, keeping individual fruit types together. Add water to cover the fruit and simmer gently, to avoid breaking it, until almost tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fruit to a shallow dish, removing any skins if necessary. Repeat as above until all the fruit has been cooked.
3. Measure 1 1/4 cups of the liquid, or make up this quantity with water if necessary. Pour into the saucepan and add 4 tbsp sugar and the glucose. Heat gently, stirring occasionally, until dissolved. Bring to the boil and pour over the fruit in the dish, completely immersing it, and leave overnight.
4. DAY 2. Drain the syrup into the pan and add 4 tbsp sugar. Dissolve the sugar and bring to the boil. Pour over the fruit and leave overnight. Repeat this process each day, draining off the syrup, dissolving 50 g (2 oz) 4 tbsp sugar, boiling the syrup and immersing the fruit. Leave overnight on Days 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
5. DAY 8. Drain the fruit, dissolve 1/2 cup sugar in the syrup and bring to the boil. Add the fruit and cook gently for 3 minutes. Return to the dish and leave for 2 days. DAY 10. Repeat as for Day 8. The syrup should now look like honey. Leave in the dish for at least 10 days, or up to 3 weeks.
6. Place a wire rack over a tray and remove each piece of fruit with a slotted spoon. Arrange on the rack. Dry the fruit in a warm, dry place or in the oven at the lowest setting until the surface no longer feels sticky. To coat in sugar, spear each piece of fruit and plunge into boiling water, then roll in granulated sugar. To dip into syrup, place the remaining sugar and 3/4 cup of water in a saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, then boil for 1 minute. Dip each piece of fruit into boiling water, then quickly into the syrup. Place on the wire rack and leave in a warm place until dry. Place the fruits in paper sweet cases and pack into boxes.
