Serve candied ginger as a confection, unadorned or with one half dipped in chocolate, or as an ingredient in other candies or desserts. Fresh young ginger, which has very thin, almost translucent, pink-tinged skin, is best for this recipe, but fibrous, brown-skinned mature ginger is fine to use. Young ginger can sometimes be found at Asian markets.

Peel and trim:

Cut across the grain into ⅛-inch-thick slices. If desired, cut the slices into thin slivers.

Place the ginger in a medium heavy saucepan and add water to cover generously. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the ginger is tender when pierced with a fork, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Combine in the saucepan:

Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in warm water. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring to boil, and add the ginger. Reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has nearly boiled away, 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Drain the ginger and arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone liner. Let dry overnight. Or, toss the ginger with:

while still lukewarm, then dry as directed.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 year.