Description
Delight in these Festive Cranberry Jelly Candies, a perfect homemade treat for the holiday season. Made with pure cranberry juice and a touch of gelatin, these sweet and tangy candies are rolled in sugar to develop a satisfyingly crunchy coating. Their beautiful ruby color and refreshing flavor make them an irresistible festive snack or gift.
Ingredients
Scale
Candy Base
- Nonstick spray, for greasing tin and knife
- 240 milliliters cold cranberry juice (1 cup)
- 35 grams powdered gelatin (five 7-gram packets, or about 3 1/2 tablespoons)
- 650 grams granulated sugar (about 3 1/4 cups, plus more for coating candies)
- 180 milliliters boiling cranberry juice (3/4 cup)
Instructions
- Prepare Pan: Line an 8×8-inch square tin with parchment in a criss-cross pattern, ensuring a 1-inch overhang on all sides. Generously grease the parchment with nonstick spray and set aside to prevent sticking.
- Combine Gelatin and Cold Juice: Pour the cold cranberry juice into a large stock pot. Sprinkle the powdered gelatin evenly over the surface and whisk thoroughly to combine, ensuring the gelatin begins to dissolve.
- Add Hot Juice and Sugar: Stir in the boiling cranberry juice and granulated sugar into the gelatin mixture. Whisk continuously to blend all ingredients well.
- Cook Mixture: Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat for about 5 minutes. Then reduce the heat to medium and allow it to simmer, stirring occasionally with a heat-resistant spoon, until it reaches 107° C / 225° F on a digital thermometer. This step typically takes 20-25 minutes or more—patience is key.
- Remove Bubbles: Take the pot off the heat. Using a skimmer or fine mesh strainer, gently remove any large bubbles from the surface for a smooth candy texture.
- Pour and Refrigerate: Carefully pour the hot mixture into the prepared pan. Don’t worry if some bubbles or foamy spots remain; these will not affect the final product. Refrigerate the pan until the jelly is firm, at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
- Prepare for Cutting: Line a large tray with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Coat a large chopping board with 2-3 scoops of granulated sugar. Flip the set cranberry jelly out onto the sugared board and peel away the parchment.
- Coat with Sugar: Using your hands, spread granulated sugar over the entire slab, coating both sides thoroughly to prevent stickiness.
- Mark and Cut: Lightly score the jelly with the back of a knife to create a grid for cutting. Aim for 7 x 7 rows (49 candies) or 8 x 8 rows (64 candies). With a sharp, well-oiled chef’s knife, cut along the scored lines into squares.
- Roll in Sugar: Roll each individual square thoroughly in granulated sugar to coat all sticky surfaces.
- Dry Candies: Arrange the sugar-coated candies on the prepared tray, ensuring they don’t touch. Leave them uncovered at room temperature for 1-2 days, allowing the sugar coating to crystallize and form a crunchy outer shell.
- Store Properly: Once dried, layer the candies between sheets of parchment paper and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep fresh for up to 1 month.
Notes
- For best flavor and texture, use 100% pure cranberry juice rather than cranberry juice cocktail, as added sugars in cocktails can make the candies overly sweet.
- A reliable digital thermometer is essential for this recipe; use either a standard probe or a clamp-on thermometer to monitor temperature while keeping your hands free to stir.
- This recipe uses powdered gelatin; if you prefer leaf gelatin, note that conversions and usage differ. Reference guides are available to convert between powdered and leaf gelatin accurately.
- Allow proper drying time of 1-2 days after cutting and coating the candies so they develop their signature crunchy sugar coating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 candy square (approx. 10 grams)
- Calories: 40 kcal
- Sugar: 10 grams
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
