Frosted Cranberries

Photo by Gerik

My mom use to make the most delicious cranberry salads back in the olden days. Cranberries, celery, and apple jello was a staple on the Thanksgiving and Christmas table. Later it was updated to a fresh cranberry relish made with fresh oranges. I grew up loving cranberries on my dinner plate unlike my husband who wrinkles up his nose in disdain.

The kids were little when I began my search to find a way to make cranberries a part of their cherished Christmas memories. Sugar coated cereal, sugar coated nuts so why not sugar glazed cranberries. From then on it became a family favorite and I’ve occasionally caught my husband popping a few.

Frosted cranberries have also appeared on my buffet tables in pretty goblets and even on guest’s dining tables I’ve scattered them like confetti among the table decorations. The look of surprise as a guest crunches down on the sweet sour combination of a frosted cranberry is priceless. Thankfully the sweetness overrides the sour enough to make it a memorable experience.

Frosted Cranberries
Makes 2 cups

1 bag fresh cranberries, picked over and washed
2 tsp. meringue powder (Wilton)
2 T. water
Sugar

While the cranberries are drying off from their brief bath, dissolve the meringue powder in the water in a medium bowl. In the old days we used egg white but now it’s safer to use the powder.

Place a cup or so sugar on a cookie sheet and scoot the pan back and forth to almost cover the bottom of the pan.

Place the dry cranberries in the meringue mixture and toss so they are all wet. Scoop them up, letting the liquid drain before scattering them on the sugar lined cookie sheet.

Scoot the cookie sheet back and forth vigorously so the berries roll back and forth and are coated evenly with the sugar. Let the berries sit in the sugar to dry, approximately 2 hours or so.

Scoop up the dried berries and place them in a beautiful bowl or goblet for serving.