Description
These Festive Cranberry Jelly Candies are a delightful homemade treat featuring a tart cranberry flavor set into sweet, chewy jelly squares coated with granulated sugar. Perfect for holiday gifting or festive snacking, these candies combine the natural vibrancy of cranberry juice with the satisfying texture of gelatin jelly, finished with a crunchy sugar coating that provides the perfect bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Supplies
- Nonstick spray, for greasing tin and knife
Liquids
- 240 milliliters cold cranberry juice (1 cup)
- 180 milliliters boiling cranberry juice (3/4 cup)
Gelatin
- 35 grams powdered gelatin (five 7-gram packets, or about 3 1/2 tablespoons)
Sugar
- 650 grams granulated sugar (about 3 1/4 cups, plus more for coating candies)
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, then generously grease with nonstick spray. Set aside to prevent sticking.
- Bloom the gelatin: Pour the cold cranberry juice into a large stock pot and sprinkle the powdered gelatin evenly on top. Whisk gently to combine, ensuring the gelatin absorbs the liquid without clumping.
- Add hot ingredients: Stir in the boiling cranberry juice and granulated sugar, whisking continuously to dissolve the sugar completely.
- Cook the mixture: Bring the mixture to a vigorous boil over high heat, which should take about 5 minutes. Then reduce heat to medium and let it simmer, stirring occasionally with a heat-resistant spoon, until it reaches 107° C / 225° F on a digital thermometer. This process typically takes 20-25 minutes or more, so patience is key.
- Remove bubbles: Take the pot off the heat and gently skim off any large bubbles from the surface using a skimmer or fine mesh strainer to ensure a smooth jelly texture.
- Set the jelly: Pour the hot cranberry mixture into the prepared pan. It’s normal to see some bubbles, white streaks, or foamy spots which will disappear once the sugar coating is applied. Place the pan in the refrigerator and chill until firm, for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
- Prepare cutting area: Line a large tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Sprinkle a large chopping board with 2-3 scoops of granulated sugar to prevent sticking.
- Coat the jelly slab: Remove the chilled cranberry slab from the pan by flipping it onto the sugared chopping board and peeling away the parchment. Use your hands to spread granulated sugar evenly over the slab, coating both sides thoroughly.
- Mark and cut squares: Lightly mark cutting guidelines on the slab with the back of a knife to create either 7 x 7 rows (49 squares) or 8 x 8 rows (64 squares). Using a sharp, well-oiled chef’s knife, carefully cut along the marked lines to separate the candies.
- Roll in sugar: Roll each individual candy square in granulated sugar until all sticky sides are coated, ensuring the candies do not clump together.
- Dry the candies: Arrange the coated candies on the prepared tray, spaced apart so they do not touch. Allow them to dry uncovered at room temperature for 1-2 days until the sugar crystallizes and a crunchy coating forms.
- Store: Layer the finished cranberry jelly 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
- Use 100% cranberry juice rather than cranberry juice cocktail to avoid excessive sweetness that can alter the candy’s balance.
- A digital thermometer is essential for accurate temperature measurement; a probe or clamp thermometer can free your hands for stirring.
- Gelatin leaves can be used instead of powdered gelatin, but be sure to convert the quantity appropriately.
- Plan for drying time: after cutting and coating, the candies need 1-2 days at room temperature to develop their characteristic crunchy sugar coating.
- To keep your knife clean and prevent sticking while cutting, oil the blade between cuts.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 candy square (approximately 10 grams)
- Calories: 45
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
