Cranberry Mania : recipes and inspirations !

Cranberries aren’t just for Thanksgiving! Here are some year-round recipe ideas for these tart treats that for you and your family to enjoy…eating AND making! Including one “adult-only” drink recipe…

We already published the recipe for the light and very flavorful pumpkin and cranberry bread. But here a few other ideas :

Cranberry Streusel Coffee Cake

Ingredients
Streusel:

• 3/4 cup brown sugar  (185 grams)
• 1/2 cup flour   (75 grams)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter  (60 grams)
• 1 cup chopped pecans  (125 grams)

Cake:

• 1/2 cup soft butter  (125 grams)
• 1 cup sugar  (225 grams)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour  (300 grams)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt  (250 ml)
• 2 cups cranberries
• 1 cup chopped pecans  (125 grams)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F / 175º C.

2. For streusel: mix together brown sugar, flour, pecans and cinnamon. Blend in butter until crumbly. Set aside.

3. For cake: cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture, alternately with sour cream or yogurt.

4. Spread half of batter in a greased 9 inch tube pan. Evenly spread cranberries and chopped pecans over batter. Cover with remaining batter. Sprinkle the streusel on top.

5. Bake for about 55 minutes.

6. Remove from pan, and serve warm.

Adults only : Cranberry Cosmopolitan Cocktail

• 1 ½ ounces vodka
• 3/4 ounce triple sec
• 3/4 ounce cranberry juice
• 1 ounce lime juice

Drain cranberries and set aside juice. Using cocktail skewers, place 3 – 4 cranberries on each skewer. Pour the vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice and lime juice into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with cranberries and serve.

Of course, you can also use cranberry juice to make jello shots.

The following recipes are from the Ocean Spray website:

Cranberry Mallow Pie

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 32 large marshmallows or 3 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 14-ounce can Ocean Spray® Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
• 1 cup chilled whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (6-ounce) pre-made vanilla wafer or graham cracker crust

Directions:

Combine marshmallows and cranberry sauce in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring constantly, just until marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour or until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon.

Beat whipping cream and vanilla in a small mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. Stir cranberry mixture until blended; fold gently into whipped cream. Pour into crust. Chill until set, at least 5 hours. For a cool treat on a hot day, try freezing the Cranberry Mallow Pie until firm.

To serve, garnish slices with additional sweetened whipped cream!

Outrageous Chocolate Cranberry Fudge Cake 

Serves 10

Ingredients

 For cake:

• 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup Ocean Spray® Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

 For glaze:

• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup Ocean Spray® Jellied Cranberry Sauce

 Cake Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line an 8-inch round cake pan with foil. Coat foil with cooking spray. Dust pan with flour, tap to remove excess.

2. Microwave 2/3 cup chocolate chips, butter and unsweetened chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on High for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Microwave for 30 more seconds if necessary to melt chocolate.

3. Add cranberry sauce and sugar; mix well. Add eggs, vanilla, flour and baking powder mix well. Pour batter in prepared pan.

4. Bake for 40 minutes or until center is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 30 minutes. Refrigerate 1 hour or until cold.

 Glaze Preparation:

1. Microwave cream and chocolate chips together in medium microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute on High. Stir until smooth. Microwave for 30 more seconds if necessary to melt chocolate. Add cranberry sauce; mix well.

2Turn cake out onto serving plate; remove foil. Spread glaze over top allowing some to drip down sides of cake.

3. Chill 1 hour or until glaze is firm. Can be made a day ahead of time.

4. Store at room temperature.