Festive Cranberry Jelly Candies Recipe
These Festive Cranberry Jelly Candies are a delightful homemade treat that combines the tartness of cranberry juice with a sweet, jelly-like texture coated in granulated sugar. Perfect for holiday gifting or enjoying as a festive snack, these candies require careful cooking to reach the right temperature and a patient drying period to develop a crunchy, crystallized sugar coating that enhances their flavor and texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours (including chilling and drying time)
- Yield: 49 to 64 candies
- Category: Candy
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Preparation
- Nonstick spray, for greasing tin and knife
Gelatin Mixture
- 240 milliliters cold cranberry juice (1 cup)
- 35 grams powdered gelatin (five 7-gram packets, or about 3 1/2 tablespoons)
Syrup
- 650 grams granulated sugar (about 3 1/4 cups, plus more for coating candies)
- 180 milliliters boiling cranberry juice (3/4 cup)
Instructions
- Prepare the Pan: Line an 8×8-inch square tin with parchment paper in a criss-cross pattern, allowing a 1-inch overhang on all sides. Generously grease with nonstick spray. Set aside for later.
- Combine Gelatin and Cold Juice: In a large stock pot, pour the cold cranberry juice. Sprinkle the powdered gelatin evenly over the surface and whisk to combine thoroughly, ensuring the gelatin is well incorporated.
- Add Boiling Juice and Sugar: Pour in the boiling cranberry juice and add the granulated sugar. Whisk continuously to dissolve the sugar and mix all ingredients evenly.
- Cook the Mixture: Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, approximately 5 minutes. Then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally with a heat-resistant spoon, until the mixture reaches 107° C (225° F) on a digital thermometer. This step takes 20 to 25 minutes or longer, requiring patience for proper consistency.
- Remove Bubbles: Take the pot off the heat. Use a skimmer or fine mesh strainer to gently remove any large bubbles from the hot mixture for a smoother texture in the final candy.
- Pour Mixture into Tin: Transfer the hot cranberry candy mixture into the prepared parchment-lined pan. Some bubbles or foamy spots may remain but they will not be visible after coating with sugar.
- Refrigerate to Set: Chill the pan in the refrigerator until the jelly is firm, at least 4 hours or preferably overnight for best results.
- Prepare for Cutting: Line a large tray with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Generously coat a large chopping board with 2-3 scoops of granulated sugar to prevent sticking during cutting.
- Unmold and Sugar Coat: Flip the set cranberry jelly slab out onto the sugared chopping board, then peel away the parchment paper. Use your hands to rub granulated sugar over the entire slab, coating both sides fully.
- Mark Cutting Lines: With the back of a knife, lightly score the slab to create guides for cutting. You may make either a 7×7 grid (49 candies) or an 8×8 grid (64 candies) depending on desired candy size.
- Cut and Coat Individual Candies: Using a sharp, well-oiled chef’s knife, cut along the scored lines to separate the candies. Roll each small square thoroughly in granulated sugar, ensuring all sticky sides are coated.
- Dry the Candies: Arrange the sugared candies on the prepared tray so they do not touch. Leave them uncovered at room temperature for 1-2 days to allow the sugar to crystallize and form a crunchy coating.
- Store Properly: Layer the finished cranberry jelly candies between sheets of parchment paper and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They keep fresh for up to one month.
Notes
- For best results, use 100% pure cranberry juice, not cranberry juice cocktail, to avoid excessive sweetness from added sugars.
- A digital thermometer is essential to monitor the candy mixture’s temperature accurately, either a probe or clamp-on model to keep your hands free.
- While powdered gelatin is used here, leaf gelatin can be substituted with appropriate conversion; see references for gelatin types and conversion tips.
- Patience is key: after cutting and coating, candies must sit at room temperature for 1-2 days to develop their signature crunchy sugar crust.
