Wash and dry citrus fruits, peel into 1/4 inch strips or halve berries and stone fruits into even pieces.

Optional: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add prepared fruit, simmer for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse under cool water to remove bitterness.

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, then bring to a gentle boil.

Add prepared fruit to the syrup, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring gently every 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup sugar over the syrup, stir gently to combine, then simmer for 25 minutes until the syrup thickens and reaches 225°F to 230°F on a candy thermometer.

Test doneness by removing a piece, cooling for 1 minute, and cutting it in half; fruit should be translucent with no opaque center.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer candied fruit to a wire cooling rack over parchment paper and let cool at room temperature for 1 hour to drain and firm up.

Optional: Spread 1/2 cup granulated sugar on a plate and roll each cooled piece in sugar to coat for extra crunch and decoration.

Reserve any leftover syrup and store it in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month to use in drinks, glazes, or future candy batches.