Fresh cranberries are divine, though super tart. Seriously tart. What’s the antidote for too much tartness? You guess it: sugar!
These sugared cranberries are soaked in simple syrup (sugar + water) for as many hours as you can stand so that their inherent mouth-puckering tartness mellows into a tart sweetness, perfect for popping into your gob one at a time or for topping things and making them super sparkly and purty.
I’m planning to use these on top of a holiday-themed cheesecake (coming soon!), but you can use them to top ice cream, holiday cocktails, crumbles, and even savory dishes that need a hint of sweetness.
Just note that if you leave them out long enough, someone will likely eat the whole batch plain. They’re like Sour Patch Kids. Be forewarned!
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Ingredients
- 6 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed well
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
Instructions
- In a saucepan, bring 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water to a simmer.
- Simmer until sugar is fully dissolved and syrup is very clear.
- Pour into a bowl and let cool for 15 minutes.
- Stir in cranberries, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours (aim for at least 8 hours), stirring a few times throughout to coat the berries well.
- Remove cranberries from syrup and spread evenly on a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.
- If you like, reserve the syrup for another recipe.
- Lightly sprinkle cranberries with remaining sugar, flipping to coat all sides.
- Once coated, roll berries in a small bowl with more sugar until evenly coated with another thin layer.
- Return berries to baking sheet and let dry for 2 hours in the refrigerator.
If you make this recipe, share a photo and hashtag it #BIJOUXANDBITS. I’d love to see what you’re cooking!
Catherine Clark is a Chicago native sharing noteworthy things she sees and attempts to make in the world. She's a geek, cat lady, designer and editor by day, and noob chef by night.
