Cranberry treats for the holidays
Cranberries are an important part of the holiday season but too often we just make the same relish or buy the jelly in the can and there is a lot more to cranberries than that.
Just imagine you were faced with 5 gallons of cranberries, as that is what happened to one of my daughters. She lives in coastal Maine and picked this wealth of cranberries. After making her usual favorites there were still a lot left over and here are some of the recipes that used up the cranberries. Some are old favorites and some that are truly different.
I am hoping so see these Fresh Cranberry Tartlets again at Thanksgiving dinner. By that time the cranberries will have to come out of her freezer, as even though they keep well in the refrigerator they would be past their prime by Thanksgiving.
FRESH CRANBERRY TARTLETS
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup water
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup grated coconut
4 to 4 Tablespoons cold water
1 small (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 Tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup grated coconut
Additional grated coconut for optional garnish
Combine the cranberries, the first 1/4-cup of sugar, cornstarch and water in a heavy saucepan. Stir well. Bring to a boil and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until the cranberries pop and the mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, cool. Cover and chill for 3 or 4 hours.
Mix together the flour and salt and cut in the shortening with a pastry blended until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the first 1/4-cup of coconut. Sprinkle the cold water (1-Tablespoon at a time) over the surface. Stir with a fork just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Shape into a ball and chill. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 6 (5-inch) circles. Fit into fluted 3-inch tart pans. Set aside.
Combine the softened cream cheese with the other 1/4-cup of sugar and beat with a mixer until smooth. Add the egg, milk, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Spoon 2 and 1/2 Tablespoons of the mixture into each of the tart shells. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until the cheese mixture has set and the shells are lightly browned. Cool. Stir the other 1/4-cup of coconut into the chilled cranberry mixture. Spoon the cranberry mixture evenly into the cooled tart shells. Sprinkle additional coconut on top, if desired. This makes six (3-inch) tarts.
Maybe you would like a Cranberry Raspberry Pie better. The crust in this pie is rich and almond flavored. It also makes a good crust for a cherry pie.
CRANBERRY RASPBERRY PIE
2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
3/4 cup shortening
1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs ice water
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 (10-ounce) package frozen, sweetened raspberries
1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tbs quick-cooking tapioca
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Combine the flour with the 1-teaspoon of salt and the 1-Tablespoon of sugar. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine the egg yolk, 2 teaspoons of almond extract and the water. Sprinkle this mixture (1 Tablespoon at a time) over the flour mixture. Stir with a fork until all the ingredients are moistened. Shape into 2 balls, wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper and chill for 2 hours.
Roll half of the dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Place in a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the excess pastry around the edges. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 5 minutes using pie weights. (Easy to do pie weights are to lay a piece of foil in the crust and weight down with any dry peas or beans. These peas or beans can be kept in a jar and used over and over). After 5 minutes remove the foil and weights and cook 5 minutes more.
Combine the cranberries with the raspberries, the 1 and 1/4 cups of sugar, the 1/4-teaspoon of salt, tapioca and the 1/4-teaspoon almond extract in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring often. Set aside and cool about 10 minutes.
Spoon into the prebaked pie shell. Roll out the rest of the pastry to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 4 (10 x 1/2-inch) strips. Arrange in lattice fashion over the berries. Trim the edges. Cut leaf designs from all of the remaining pastry and arrange on the pie around the edge of the crust. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden. Shield the edge of the pastry shell with foil, if necessary, during the last 10 minutes of baking. This makes one 9-inch pie.
This next recipe for Spicy Cranberry Sauce is an improved sauce to serve with your turkey. Not too early to make it as it will keep up to three weeks in the refrigerator.
SPICY CRANBERRY SAUCE
1 bag (12-oz.) or 3 cups fresh cranberries
2/3 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp finely grated orange rind
1/3 cup orange juice
2 cups granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Pick out and discard any bruised or spoiled cranberries. Rinse and drain all of the good ones. Place the cranberries in a 5-quart heavy saucepan and stir in the vinegar, orange rind, orange juice, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil on high heat and then reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring often, until the mixture has been reduced to about 3 and 1/2 cups. This will take 30 to 45 minutes. As the sauce thickens you should stir it more frequently to keep it from sticking.
Spoon the cranberry sauce into jars or plastic freezer containers. Let cool and then cover and chill for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator or freeze if you want to keep it longer. This makes about 3 and 1/2 cups.
Probably the most unusual recipe for using the cranberries is this recipe for Cranberry Vinegar. You see raspberry vinegar in the gourmet section of the grocery store but here is your chance to have your own Cranberry Vinegar. Makes a nice present for a special cook.
CRANBERRY VINEGAR
1 quart white wine vinegar
2 cups fresh cranberries, divided
4 (3-inch) sticks cinnamon
1/2 cup honey
1 orange
10 (6-inch) wooden skewers
Combine the vinegar with 1 cup of the cranberries and the cinnamon sticks in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let stand 2 minutes. Stir in honey.
Using a citrus zester or a paring knife, cut a 12 x 1/4-inch strip of rind from the orange. Save the rest of the orange for another use. Thread the other 1-cup of cranberries and the orange rind on the skewers and place in small decorative bottles or jars. Cut the rind into pieces, if necessary, to divide it among the jars.
Strain the vinegar mixture, discarding the cranberries. Pour the liquid over the skewers in the bottles. Store at room temperature for 2 weeks before using to let the flavor develop. Remove the skewers from the vinegar to prevent spoilage of the cranberries as the level of the vinegar drops. This makes about 4 and 1/2 cups.
