2 c. fresh, not frozen, cranberries (discard any limp ones, or use in another recipe)
1 c. powdered sugar (use a good brand name like Domino, generic doesn't stick as well)
2 c. simple syrup*
Soak cranberries in cooled syrup for 1 hour. Use a slotted spoon to remove berries from syrup and place them in a colander to drain. Drain well with a fine mesh strainer/colander, but do not rinse! or dry cranberries. They need to be wet, but not too wet (don't want them drippy) for the sugar coating to stick. Add cranberries to large ziploc bag. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag. Shake the bag until all cranberries are covered with a thick coating. Transfer to large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure none of them are on top of each other. Bake at 200 degrees for 5 minutes. Do not overbake. You don't want the cranberries to cook and the juice to leak out. Just enough to create a candy shell around the cranberries. Cool to room temperature & chill before serving, at least 1 hour. This recipe makes about 150 candies.
These are a nice refreshing & fun treat to eat that pop when you bite into them (be sure to have your mouth closed!) The crisp candy coating masks the sometimes bitter flavor of cranberries. These are best made the day of serving. The candy coating may start to flake off after that. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
*some people use orange juice or sprite, but Kathy says the simple syrup works best for her.
Simple Syrup:
1 c. sugar
1 c. water
Combine in saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Avoid rapid boiling. Remove from heat when sugar is dissolved. Cool to room temperature before using. May be stored in a clear airtight bottle in the refrigerator for up to a month.
