Description
Festive Cranberry Jelly Candies are a delightful homemade treat featuring a perfect balance of tart cranberry flavor and sweet jelly texture. Made with simple ingredients like cranberry juice, gelatin, and sugar, these candies are coated in sugar for a crunchy finish. Ideal for holiday gifting or festive snacking, they require careful cooking and setting to achieve their signature chewy yet firm consistency.
Ingredients
Scale
Preparation
- Nonstick spray, for greasing tin and knife
Main Ingredients
- 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 paper in a criss-cross pattern, allowing a 1-inch overhang on all sides. Generously grease the parchment and sides with nonstick spray to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Combine Gelatin and Cold Juice: Pour the cold cranberry juice into a large stockpot. Sprinkle the powdered gelatin evenly over the surface. Whisk gently to combine, allowing the gelatin to begin dissolving.
- Add Hot Ingredients: Add the boiling cranberry juice and granulated sugar to the pot. Whisk thoroughly to dissolve the sugar and incorporate all ingredients well.
- Cook Mixture: Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, which will take about 5 minutes. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally with a heat-resistant spoon. Continue simmering until the mixture reaches 107°C (225°F) on a digital thermometer, approximately 20-25 minutes or more.
- Remove Bubbles: Take the pot off the heat. Use a skimmer or fine mesh strainer to gently remove any large bubbles forming on the surface to ensure a smooth jelly texture.
- Pour and Chill: Pour the hot mixture into the prepared pan. Don’t worry if bubbles, foamy spots, or white streaks remain as they will disappear after coating. Refrigerate the jelly until firm, at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
- Prepare Sugar Coating: Line a large tray with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Coat a large chopping board with 2-3 scoops of granulated sugar.
- Unmold and Sugar Coat: Flip the set cranberry jelly slab onto the sugared chopping board and carefully peel away the parchment. Spread sugar evenly over the jelly slab using your hands to coat both sides completely.
- Mark Cutting Lines: Using the back of a knife, lightly mark squares on the jelly as cutting guides. Aim for 7×7 rows for 49 candies or 8×8 rows for 64 candies based on your preferred size.
- Cut Candies: Using a sharp chef’s knife that has been lightly oiled, cut the jelly slab along the marked lines into individual squares.
- Roll in Sugar: Roll each square candy in granulated sugar thoroughly to coat all sticky sides. This helps prevent sticking and adds texture.
- Dry the Candies: Arrange the sugared candies on the prepared tray, ensuring they don’t touch. Set aside at room temperature, uncovered, to dry for 1-2 days or until the sugar crystallizes and a crunchy coating forms.
- Store Properly: Once dried, layer the cranberry jelly candies between parchment sheets and store in an airtight container at room temperature. They keep well for up to 1 month.
Notes
- Use 100% cranberry juice instead of cranberry juice cocktail to avoid excess sweetness that can alter candy texture.
- A digital thermometer is essential for precise temperature measurement; use a standard probe or clamp thermometer to keep hands free while stirring.
- The recipe uses powdered gelatin, but leaf gelatin can also be used with appropriate conversion.
- Patience is important as the candy requires at least 4 hours to set and an additional 1-2 days at room temperature for the crunchy sugar coating to develop.
- Oiling the knife before cutting helps achieve clean cuts without sticky residue.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 candy (approximately 10 grams)
- Calories: 40
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
