Whew!  Are your days really busy right now?  Mine sure are and, for the most part, I’m okay with that.  Holidays are supposed to be busy, but they don’t have to be stressful.  With a little planning and preparation ahead of time, you can eliminate much, if not all, of the stress that often times overwhelms us during this season.  These little Sparkling Sugared Cranberries are such a fun way to have a little treat on hand and can add some real sparkle to your table eaten as is or used as a garnish around your appetizer tray, in a salad, or to top a cake or pie.  Plus, they are an easy project for you and your kiddos to do together.

Recently, these Sparkling Sugared Cranberries were one of the Make-Ahead Appetizers that I featured when I appeared on THV11’s This Morning Program.  Everyone was pleasantly surprised at the sweetness of the berries with just a hint of tartness.  WARNING.  They can be addictive.

Do not discard the simple syrup that is used to brine the cranberries.  After bringing to a boil, I reuse it several times to brine more berries; it keeps well in the refrigerator.  It also makes a great addition to your holiday beverages that call for simple syrup.  

While I have not tried it, I have heard of people who mix them in with a bowl of popcorn.  That sounds like a fun idea to me.  Let me know if you give that a try.

Sparkling Sugared Cranberries

2014-12-08 07:47:54

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Ingredients

1. 3 cups sugar
2. 2 cinnamon sticks
3. 6 whole cloves
4. 3 cups water
5. 3 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed
6. 3/4 cup coarse sugar, such as sugar in the raw cane sugar*
7. 1 cup superfine sugar

Instructions

1. Combine 2 cups granulated sugar, cinnamon sticks, whole closes and water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring mixture until sugar dissolves.
2. Bring to a simmer; remove from heat and stir in the cranberries; set aside. (May be placed in a glass or plastic bowl to sit.)
3. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
4. Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl, reserving the simple syrup.
5. Place the coarse and superfine sugar in a shallow dishes.
6. Add the cranberries first to the coarse sugar then the superfine sugar, shaking each dish slightly to coat the cranberries with sugar; use a small sieve or a spider to scoop up the cranberries from the sugar shaking to remove excess.
7. Spread sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature until dry, at least 4 hours. (I like to give them a gentle stir periodically to assure that all sides dry well.

Notes

1. *It works well to use just the superfine sugar if you prefer. I think the extra little crunch of the coarse sugar is nice.
2. *Superfine sugar: pulse granulated sugar in a blender. I like to do several cups at a time just to have on hand. It works especially well in beverages that require sugar, such as lemonade.
3. *NOTE: Because the cranberries still retain quite a bit of moisture, these do not do well bagged for extended periods. It is best to serve them in open containers or bagged and distributed immediately. If they do get too moist, just pour them out on a baking sheet and let air dry for several hours before serving.

By Dining With Debbie

Adapted from Fresh Market

Adapted from Fresh Market

Dining With Debbie https://diningwithdebbie.net/