Sugared Cranberries And Sage Leaves Food

SUGARED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove syrup from heat and allow to cool until lukewarm. Add cranberries to syrup and carefully stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours to overnight.
• Sprinkle a baking sheet with sugar and line a second baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Drain cranberries well and spread out onto the sugar-covered baking sheet. Roll in the sugar and transfer cranberries to the parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Allow to dry for 3 hours.

SUGARED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Add cranberries; return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Let cool completely. Use a slotted spoon to lift cranberries out of syrup (reserve syrup for another use, such as for cocktails); transfer to a wire rack and let dry until just tacky to the touch, 30 minutes.
• Toss with remaining 1/4 cup sugar to coat. Let dry completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. (If sugar has melted at all, toss with more before using.)

SUGARED CRANBERRIES AND SAGE LEAVES

Steps:

• Bring water and 1/2 cup sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then simmer, uncovered, 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Put remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl.
• Lightly brush cranberries and both sides of sage leaves with sugar syrup, then immediately roll in sugar.
• Transfer to a lightly oiled rack and dry at room temperature, 2 to 3 hours.

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 SAGE COOKIES

Steps:

• Line two sheet pans with parchment or silpats (see note). Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt). Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine sugars and sage. Mix on low speed for a few minutes to help release the oils from the sage.
• Add the butter, and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
• Add egg and mix to combine. Add the dry ingredients gradually, mixing until just incorporated.
• Turn the dough out onto your work surface and divide in half, shaping each half into a disc about 1 inch thick.
• Working with half the dough at a time, roll the dough out to about ¼" thickness between two sheets of waxed paper or parchment. Cut the dough into your desired shapes (I chose a 2.5-inch fluted round cutter). Place the cut-outs on the prepared cookie sheets, and place in the freezer for 20 minutes before baking.
• Preheat the oven to 375° F. Bake the cookies for 7-9 minutes, or until just barely golden at the edges. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Combine all purée ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the mixture starts to thicken, about 10 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Pour the mixture into a food processor and process until as smooth as possible. (At this point you can strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer if you'd like to remove the skins and seeds, but I didn't find this step necessary.)
• Let the purée cool to room temperature before adding to the buttercream.
• Combine butter and sifted powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream together for several minutes until well mixed and smooth.
• Add the (room temperature!) cranberry purée and mix to incorporate. If the buttercream is too thin, you can add more powdered sugar to thicken it to your desired consistency.
• Swirl sage leaves in the beaten egg white (see safety note!), pinching/sliding them between your thumb and index finger to remove the excess. Dip the leaves in sugar, then lay on a rack to dry. The leaves will take 8-12 hours to dry completely, depending on the humidity level.
• Once cookies are completely cool, sandwich with the cranberry buttercream. Serve with candied sage, if desired. The cookies freeze well with or without buttercream, but I find that freezing the cooking without the buttercream, then sandwiching them after thawing, better preserves the sage flavor in the cookies.Enjoy!

TO MAKE SUGARED CRANBERRIES AND MINT LEAVES

Steps:

• Slowly whisk together powdered egg whites and water until dissolved. Lightly coat cranberries and both sides of mint leaves with egg mixture using your fingers or a pastry brush, then sprinkle with sugar. Transfer to a lightly oiled rack and dry 2 to 3 hours.

SUGARED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Combine the granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar is dissolved. Add the cranberries and weight with a plate to submerge. Cover the pot and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 48 hours. Strain the cranberries, reserving the syrup. (Refrigerate leftover syrup in an airtight container for up to 1 month.)
• Spread the superfine sugar on a baking sheet; toss the cranberries in the sugar. Refrigerate on the baking sheet, uncovered, for 1 hour. Toss again in the sugar before transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

SUGARED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Combine granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring mixture until sugar dissolves.
• Bring to a simmer; remove from heat.
• (Do not boil or the cranberries may pop when added.) Stir in cranberries; pour mixture into a bowl.
• Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl, reserving steeping liquid, if desired.
• Place superfine sugar in a shallow dish.
• Add the cranberries, rolling to coat with sugar.
• Spread sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until dry.
• Note: The steeping liquid clings to the berries and helps the sugar adhere.
• Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to a week.