Caramelized Candied Oranges And Cranberries Are Simple And Good Food

CANDIED-ORANGE AND CRANBERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Bring water and sugar to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add orange and gently simmer over moderately low heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until peel begins to turn translucent and syrup is reduced to about 2/3 cup, 25 to 35 minutes.
• Transfer to a heatproof bowl and cool. Stir in cranberries and Grand Marnier and chill, covered, until cold, about 1 hour.

CARAMELIZED CANDIED ORANGES AND CRANBERRIES ARE SIMPLE AND GOOD!

Steps:

• Peel oranges and cut off all the white pith. Bring sugar and 3 c water to boil over medium high heat to dissolve the sugar. Stir in St-Germain and oranges. Remove from heat and cover. Leave overnight. (I actually left these for 24 hours.)
• Preheat broiler. Line a rimmed baking pan with foil. Using a slotted spoon transfer oranges to pan.(Keep syrup in pot.) Broil until oranges are browned in spots. (I do believe you could skip this step as I think the wee little oranges would still taste good without broiling.) If you want to broil them, broil them about 3-4 minutes on each side, until browned in spots. Transfer to platter or bowl.
• Place cranberries in the pot with the syrup. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the berries are soft and begin to pop. Spoon cranberries over mandarins and admire their beauty! I chilled this mixture in the syrup in the refrigerator which is where they've been until I spooned them over my yogurt this morning! It is also OK to serve them right away or leave them at room temperature for a few hours and then serve.

CRANBERRY ORANGE CHEESE BALL W/ CARAMELIZED PECANS

Steps:

• 1. Chop cranberries in a food processor or blender.
• 2. Add the cream cheese, OJ and sugar. Blend in the processor till all is creamed together.
• 3. Place onto a sheet of wax paper and shape in a ball the best you can. Let it sit overnight to stiffen up a bit. You can shape it better the next day when it is a little harder.
• 4. Directions for candied pecans: Melt butter in a pan on med heat add the pecans and sugar and mix well stirring frequently. About 3-5 minutes. Do not let the pecans burn!
• 5. Lay out a sheet of wax paper and place pecans on the sheet spreading them out. Let them cool.
• 6. When you are ready to eat the cheese ball take it out of the fridge and shape better. Grab a handful of pecans and place them all over the cheese call till covered. Place cheese ball on a plate and serve!

EASY CANDIED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pick over cranberries to remove any stems.
• Toss with sugar and spread on a foil lined (or silpat lined) sheet pan.
• Roast for 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes.
• Cool and enjoy.

VANILLA-ORANGE SUGARED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Combine 2 ½ cups of sugar, water, vanilla, and orange extract in a sauce pan. Heat over medium until the sugar has completely dissolved-but not boiling.
• Pour in the cranberries and stir. The hot syrup will loosen the skin, saturate the berries and adhere to the berries over time.
• Cover the cranberries with a small plate to keep them mostly submerged. Then cover the pan and place it in the refrigerator over night.
• Place the remaining 1 ¼ cup of sugar in a rimmed dish. Strain the cranberries and place them in the sugar. Shake until they are completely coated.
• Carefully transfer them to a baking sheet to dry-about an hour.
• Once the sugar coating is hard, place them in an air-tight container and keep in a cool spot for up to a week!
• *Don't forget to refrigerate your Cranberry Infused Vanilla-Orange Syrup for cocktail time!

CANDIED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Cook 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water in heavy small saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Transfer to top of double boiler. Add cranberries. Cover berry mixture and place over simmering water. Cook 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from over water. Let cranberry mixture stand at room temperature overnight.
• Place remaining 1/2 cup sugar on plate. Drain cranberries well. Add to sugar and turn to coat. Let dry at least 30 minutes. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

CARAMEL CANDIES

Steps:

• Grease an 8 by 4-inch (20 by 10 cm) loaf pan and line it with a parchment sling so that the paper comes up all the sides and has about a 2-inch (5 cm) overhang on each side. Grease the parchment paper.
• In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan (the caramel will bubble up quite a bit once it starts cooking, so it's important to have a deep pan) over medium-high heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt, stirring very gently to combine while trying to avoid getting any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan. Cover and bring to a boil, until the sugar has melted and the mixture is clear, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Uncover and cook until the sugar has turned light golden and reaches 300ºF (150ºC) on an instant-read thermometer, 6 to 7 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium and cook until deep golden (340ºF or 170ºC), about 4 to 5 minutes more. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and add the heavy cream and butter (the cream will foam considerably, so be careful pouring it in).
• Return the pan to medium-high heat and cook until the caramel reaches the desired stage, stirring frequently, 4 to 7 minutes. For soft, melt-in-your mouth caramels, cook until 248ºF (120ºC), and for firmer caramels with a bit more chew, cook until 252ºF (122ºC). Stir in the vanilla off the heat. Let the caramel sit for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bubbles subside.
• Carefully pour the caramel into the prepared pan and gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to eliminate any air bubbles. Let the caramel cool completely, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 1 hour.
• Using the parchment overhang, lift the caramel out of the pan. Peel away the parchment paper and cut the caramel in half lengthwise, then cut each half into twelve 2-inch (5 cm) pieces, for 24 rectangular pieces. Candies can be left as rectangles, or cut again into squares, for a total of 48 pieces. Individually wrap each caramel in wax paper or cellophane, twisting the ends of the paper closed. The wrapped caramels can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

CANDIED CITRUS PEEL

Steps:

• Cut the fruit into 8 wedges, then cut out the flesh, leaving about 5mm thickness of peel and pith. Cut each wedge into 3-4 strips.
• Put the peel in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 mins. Drain, return to the pan and re-cover with fresh water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins.
• Set a sieve over a bowl and drain the peel, reserving the cooking water. Add 100g sugar to each 100ml water you have. Pour into a pan and gently heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the peel and simmer for 30 mins until the peel is translucent and soft. Leave to cool in the syrup, then remove with a slotted spoon and arrange in 1 layer on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Put in the oven at the lowest setting for 30 mins to dry.
• Sprinkle a layer of sugar over a sheet of baking parchment. Toss the strips of peel in the sugar, a few at a time, then spread out and leave for 1 hr or so to air-dry.
• Pack the peel into an airtight storage jar or rigid container lined with baking parchment. Will keep for 6-8 weeks in a cool, dry place.
• To make into a delicious gift, melt the chocolate in a small bowl. Dip the candied orange peel into the chocolate to half-coat them, shaking off the excess. Put them on baking parchment to set, then pack into small cellophane bags tied with ribbon or pretty kitchen string.