Until you taste them yourself, the idea of a sugared cranberries might seem awfully silly. An impossibly tart, dry-textured fruit covered in plain sugar? What do you do with it? And, why?
We hear you, but also, we're sugaring cranberries. And here's why!
Made simply by poaching fresh cranberries in simple syrup before coating them in sugar, sugared cranberries are exactly what they sound like. But your enjoyment of them may just surprise you.
Sweet and sour with an distinctive pop as your skin break the surface of the berry, sugared cranberries are the fresh fruit version of your favorite sour candy. And while you can serve them as a sweet party snack, they are a beautiful and delicious edible decor for cakes, pies, and tarts. Piled high, they are a dramatic addition to the table, with their glistening sugared skin twinkling under the lights.
We also love skewering sugared cranberries for a cocktail garnish.
To make sugared cranberries:
- Combine equal parts sugar and water in a medium saucepan. For every 12 oz of cranberries (a standard sized bag from the grocery store), you'll use about 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Pour your cranberries into the syrup, and soak for about 30 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cranberries to a wire rack fitted over a baking sheet. Leave to set until tacky, but no longer wet, about 20 minutes.
- Pour enough sugar into a baking sheet or other tray to coat the bottom until completely covered. Working in batches, transfer the cranberries to the sugar and roll until well-coated. Return to the rack as done.
- Let the cranberries rest until the sugar is set and you can touch the berry without the sugar flaking off.
