Canned Fruit

When fruit is canned, it must be placed in a sugar syrup that has greater sugar concentration than the fruit itself. This sugar syrup diffuses into the fruit and boosts the inherent flavor. As the fruit is cooked in a syrup, the cell walls become more permeable, which creates a tenderer texture, and the retention of sugar ensures that the fruit remains plump and inviting. If a whole fruit has a tough skin and is canned with the skin on—as with Kieffer pears and kumquats—the fruit must be precooked or the skin must be pricked all over to enable the absorption of the sugar syrup.