Description
Festive cranberry orange sauce brings holiday cheer with its zesty citrus notes and tart berry goodness. Homemade comfort creates a delightful condiment perfect for elevating your seasonal feast.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) fresh cranberries
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Sweeteners:
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
Spices and Liquids:
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) water
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, unite fresh cranberries, granulated sugar, vibrant orange juice, clean water, fragrant orange zest, and optional warm cinnamon, gently mixing the ingredients together.
- Position the saucepan over medium-high heat, allowing the mixture to reach a rolling boil while stirring intermittently.
- Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, permitting the cranberries to soften and gradually rupture, creating a rich, glossy texture.
- Continue cooking for approximately 10-12 minutes, periodically stirring to prevent potential scorching and ensuring even consistency.
- Watch for natural cranberry breakdown, which will transform the liquid into a luscious, slightly jellied sauce with visible fruit remnants.
- Remove the saucepan from heat, allowing the crimson sauce to rest and naturally thicken at room temperature.
- As the sauce cools, its consistency will become more substantial, developing deeper flavor complexity.
- Optional: Refrigerate the sauce for enhanced flavor melding and cooler serving temperature, ideally preparing it a few hours before presenting.
Notes
- Fresh cranberries work best when they’re plump and firm, avoiding any soft or wrinkled ones for optimal sauce texture.
- Adjust sugar levels depending on cranberry tartness and personal preference, starting with less and adding gradually.
- Enhance flavor complexity by adding a splash of Grand Marnier or vanilla extract during the final cooking stage for depth.
- Prepare sauce ahead of time as it stores beautifully in the refrigerator for up to a week, allowing flavors to meld and intensify.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg