Molded Cranberry Jelly Food

CRANBERRY JELLY

Steps:

• Put the cranberries in a saucepan. Remove wide strips of zest from 1/2 orange with a peeler; add to the saucepan with the juice of both oranges (about 1/2 cup). Add the sugar, coriander, a pinch of salt and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and remove the orange zest; stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a serving dish, pushing the sauce through with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours.

SUNNY'S APPLE AND GINGER CRANBERRY JELLY MOLDS

Steps:

• Add the apples (seeds and all), cranberry juice, ginger and cinnamon stick to a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and steep on medium until the apples are mushy, about 25 minutes. Strain the contents of the pot using a fine-mesh sieve and a moist paper towel or cheesecloth. Do not press anything through the sieve. Allow to drip to about 2 cups of liquid. Discard the solids.
• Wipe the pot clean or rinse with water. Pour all but 1/4 cup of the liquid back into the pot and add the sugar. Cook on medium high until the sugar dissolves.
• Add the gelatin to the reserved 1/4 cup liquid and stir. Stir this into the pot and remove from the heat. Let cool until just warm.
• Coat the inside of four 8-ounce ridged party cups (or several shot glass-size party cups) with cooking spray (you may want to double the cups so you don't warp them). Once the liquid has cooled a bit, divide among the cups. Place on a tray and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.
• To unmold, dunk the sides of the cups in warm water and wiggle out the jelly.

CRANBERRY GRAPPA JELLY

Steps:

• Bring cranberries, sugar, 1 1/2 cups water, and 3/4 cup grappa to a boil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then briskly simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until most of berries have burst and mixture is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Strain through a large fine-mesh sieve into a 2-quart measuring cup or a bowl, pressing hard on and then discarding solids. (You will need 2 1/2 cups liquid.)
• Stir together gelatin and remaining 1/4 cup water and let stand 1 minute to soften. Bring 1 cup drained cranberry liquid to a simmer in a small saucepan, then add gelatin mixture and stir until just dissolved. Add gelatin mixture and remaining 1/4 cup grappa to remaining 1 1/2 cups cranberry liquid and stir well. Pour cranberry sauce into lightly oiled mold and chill, covered with plastic wrap, until firmly set, at least 12 hours.
• To unmold, dip mold in a large bowl of warm water (water should reach halfway up mold) for 5 seconds, then run tip of a thin knife around edge of mold. Tilt mold sideways and tap side against a counter, turning it, to evenly break seal and loosen jelly. Keeping mold tilted, put a plate over mold, then invert jelly onto plate.

CRANBERRY GELATIN MOLD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in cranberry sauce and lemon juice until blended. Chill until partially set. , Stir in pineapple and celery. Pour into a 6-cup ring mold coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate until firm. Unmold onto a serving platter.

CRANBERRY JELL-O MOLD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in water. Stir in cranberry sauce and pineapple. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until slightly thickened. Stir in nuts. Pour into a 1-1/2-qt. gelatin mold coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate until set. Unmold onto a serving platter. Serve with sour cream if desired.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE JELLY

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, combine Lillet, liqueur, sugar and juniper berries if using. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add cranberries and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until all the cranberries burst and are very soft, at least 10 minutes total (or use a candy thermometer and cook mixture to 210 to 215 degrees). The mixture should be reduced and thickened, like a very loose jam.
• Strain the sauce into a bowl through a sieve, pushing on the solids with a rubber spatula to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids. Stir the liquid and transfer to a pretty serving bowl or a mold. (If using a mold, spray the insides first with nonstick cooking spray.) A funnel or liquid measuring cup with a spout can be useful for transferring without splashing the sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least three hours, or up to several days. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
• If you chilled the jelly in a mold, turn it out by placing the mold in a large bowl. Carefully pour hot water into the bowl so it comes up the sides of the mold, melting the jelly just enough to release it from the mold. After 3 minutes, try unmolding the jelly onto a serving dish. If it doesn't come out, return to the bowl and try again 2 minutes later. Repeat until the jelly is released. If necessary, return it to the refrigerator to firm up before serving.

CRANBERRY JELLY IN A MOLD

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the cranberries, 2 cups cranberry juice, and sugar until the mixture is bubbling and the cranberries have burst. Meanwhile, sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining 1/4 cup cranberry juice to soften. Whisk the gelatin mixture into the hot cranberries. Strain this into a bowl and let cool. Spray your mold with nonstick cooking spray and pour the cooled juice into the mold. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. To unmold, briefly dip the mold into hot water to loosen it.

CRANBERRY ROSEMARY WINE JELLY

Steps:

• Bring cranberries, sugar, wine, rosemary, and 2 2/3 cups water to a boil in a 6- to 8-quart pot, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until all berries have burst, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour into a large colander lined with dampened paper towels and set in a deep bowl, then let stand until all juices have drained through, 10 to 15 minutes, and discard solids. If you have more than 4 cups cranberry liquid, boil in a small saucepan until reduced; if less, add water to bring total to 4 cups.
• Stir together gelatin and remaining cup water in a clean small saucepan and let stand 1 minute to soften. Heat over moderate heat, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved. Stir gelatin mixture into cranberry liquid until combined. Pour cranberry mixture into lightly oiled mold (see cooks' note, below), skimming off any foam. Cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and chill until firmly set, at least 12 hours.
• To unmold, run tip of a thin knife between edge of mold and jelly. Tilt mold sideways and tap side of mold against a work surface, turning it, to evenly break seal and loosen cranberry jelly. Keeping mold tilted, invert a plate over mold, then invert cranberry sauce onto plate.

JELLIED CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring cranberries, sugar, and 3 cups water to a boil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until all berries have burst, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into a large fine-mesh sieve set over a 2-quart glass measure or a bowl and let stand until all juices have drained through, about 30 minutes. If necessary, press on solids until there is enough juice to measure 3 cups, then discard solids.
• Stir together gelatin and remaining 1/3 cup water and let stand 1 minute to soften. Bring 1 cup drained cranberry liquid to a simmer in a small saucepan, then add gelatin mixture and stir until just dissolved. Add gelatin mixture to remaining cranberry liquid and stir well. Pour cranberry sauce into lightly oiled mold and chill, covered with plastic wrap, until firmly set, at least 12 hours.
• To unmold, run tip of a thin knife between edge of mold and cranberry sauce. Tilt mold sideways and tap side of mold against a work surface, turning it, to evenly break seal and loosen cranberry sauce. Keeping mold tilted, invert a plate over mold, then invert cranberry sauce onto plate.

CRANBERRY MAPLE JELLY

Steps:

• Lightly oil mold; prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl.
• In a large saucepan, bring cranberries, sugar, and 3 cups water to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and are completely softened, about 10 minutes.
• Pour cranberries through a fine sieve, set over a bowl, pressing to release as much juice as possible (you should get about 4 cups, if not add water to equal 4 cups).
• Skim off any foam from the surface; stir in maple syrup.
• Transfer 1 cup of the liquid to a clean saucepan and bring to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup water; let soften 1 minute.
• Stir gelatin mixture into hot cranberry liquid in the saucepan; mix gelatin mixture into cranberry maple syrup mixture and stir well to completely combine.
• Set bowl into prepared ice water bath, stirring occasionally, to cool.
• After about 15 minutes, it should be beginning to thicken, then pour into oiled mold, and refrigerate until set, at least 8 hours, but can be made up to 2 days in advance.
• To unmold, dip the top of the mold into a bowl of hot water and run a thin knife around the edge of the mold to loosen the jelly; place the serving dish on top and invert to plate (if it doesn't release easily, repeat).