Cranberry Cosmopolitan Food

THE BEST CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Empty the cranberries into a saucepan and transfer 1/2 cup to a small bowl. Add the sugar, zest and 2 tablespoons water to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries burst, about 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved cranberries. Remove the citrus peel. Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Cool to room temperature before serving.

CRANBERRY PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: Add the flour, cranberries, sugar and salt to a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter, pulsing until you have pea-sized pieces. Mix together the vodka and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the vodka mixture to the flour mixture and pulse, adding more of the vodka mixture a tablespoon at a time as needed, until the dough comes together when gently pinched (you may not need to add all of it). Dump the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap, flatten into a disc and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Put the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll into a 1/4-inch-thick round. Use the rolling pin to help guide the dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Press gently into the corners of the pie plate and crimp the edges decoratively. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Arrange an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Prick the bottom of the dough all over with the tines of a fork. Place a piece of parchment on top of the dough and fill with pie weights or baking beans. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the parchment and pie weights and bake until golden around the edges and light golden in the center, an additional 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely.
• For the filling: Add 2 tablespoons triple sec to a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over top; set aside.
• Add the cranberries, orange zest and juice, ginger, 1/2 cup sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons triple sec to a small saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and continue to cook until the cranberries begin to pop and break down, about 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the gelatin mixture until completely dissolved and combined. Transfer the mixture to a blender and let cool slightly, then puree until very smooth. Pour into a large bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• When the mixture has cooled, add the heavy cream to a stand mixture fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on high, streaming in the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar slowly, until the mixture reaches stiff peaks. Stir one-third of the whipped cream into the cranberry mixture to lighten it. Then fold the cranberry mixture into the remaining whipped cream until no streaks remain. Add the filling to the pie crust. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
• For the decorations: Before serving, beat the egg white together with 1 tablespoon water. Toss the cranberries in the egg white mixture, then drain completely using a wide-mesh strainer. Put the sugar in a medium bowl, add the cranberries and toss to coat completely. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet to dry.
• Pile whipped cream in the center of the pie, top with the cranberries and sprinkle with the orange peel strips.

CRANBERRY BRIE BITES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the egg with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl for an egg wash. Cut the side rind off the Brie, then cut the Brie into 32 even pieces. Set aside.
• Unfold a puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a 13-inch square. Cut into 16 squares. Repeat with the second sheet so you have 32 squares total.
• Top a pastry square with about 1/2 teaspoon cranberry sauce, 1/4 teaspoon walnuts, a piece of Brie and a pinch of thyme.
• Use your finger or a pastry brush to brush the edges of the pastry square with egg wash until lightly coated and tacky. Pinch 2 opposite points together, then pinch the remaining 2 points together so that you have a little package. Repeat with the remaining pastry squares and filling.
• Transfer the pouches to the prepared baking sheets and brush with the remaining egg wash. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

CRANBERRY SPRITZER

Steps:

• Place ice cubes into pitcher. Add seltzer. Add 2 cups of cranberry juice to a large pitcher. Mix in 2 tablespoons of honey. Add orange slices and stir to combine.
• Nutrition Info (per serving): Calories: 100; Fat: 0 grams; Saturated Fat: 0 grams; Protein: 0 grams; Carbohydrate: 26 grams; Sodium: 39 milligrams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams; Fiber: 0 grams

PERFECT CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Empty a 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries into a saucepan and transfer 1/2 cup to a small bowl. Add 1 cup sugar, 1 strip orange or lemon zest and 2 tablespoons water to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries burst, about 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved cranberries. Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste and cool to room temperature before serving.

CRANBERRY BOURBON COCKTAIL

Steps:

• Shake 2 ounces each bourbon, cranberry juice and orange juice in a shaker with ice; strain into a glass filled with ice and garnish with cranberries.

CREAMY CHEESECAKE WITH CRANBERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• For the crust: Brush a 10-inch springform pan with some of the melted butter. Stir together the remaining butter with the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and 1 inch up the side of the pan. Use the back of a measuring cup or a drinking glass to pack the crust firmly and evenly into the edges of the pan. Bake until browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely, then set the pan on top of a large sheet of aluminum foil and wrap the foil around the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Place the pan on a baking sheet.
• For the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream, and mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the cream and vanilla extract, and mix until just combined. Beat in the eggs one at time, beating the mixture after the last egg until just combined (take care not to overmix or the cake will turn into a souffle).
• Pour the filling in to the crust. Bake until the cheesecake is slightly golden and barely set in the middle when the pan is tapped, about 1 hour and 20 minutes (the cake might puff up slightly while in the oven, but that is okay; it will deflate as it cools). Turn off the oven, and leave the cake inside with the door shut for 1 hour. It will continue to set and color slightly in the oven.
• Run a thin knife or spatula around the cake to release it from the sides (this also helps reduce cracks in the top of the cake as it chills). Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• For the cranberry compote: Stir the sugar, dried cranberries and 1 cup water together in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then add the fresh cranberries. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the fresh cranberries have burst and the sauce is slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the compote to a heat-safe bowl and let it cool slightly before covering the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerating until it is completely chilled. The cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools. (This can be made up to one day in advance.)
• For serving: Spread the cranberry compote in an even layer on top of the chilled cheesecake. The cheesecake will sink a bit in the center as it cools so it creates a perfect well for the cranberry compote. Run a thin knife or spatula between the cake and the sides again, then release the sides of the springform pan and remove the ring from the cheesecake base. Set the base on a cake platter, slice and serve.