Ten minutes to a stunning cranberry syrup — drizzle over almond cake, spike your mocktail, or swirl into yogurt. Tart, toasty, and shockingly versatile.
Almond cake, schmalmond cake… Can we just talk about this syrup? I got briefly and over-enthusiastically into making fruit syrups this summer when this September arrival forced me into a mocktail kinda lifestyle. I had quickly dismissed all those new grown-up sodas everywhere; they were either too sweet or their “natural” label didn’t survive a quick look at the ingredient list. Wouldn’t it be easier to make your own fruit syrups and stir them into seltzer? I tried rhubarb and mango syrups but they weren’t worth sharing. It took a while to get back to the drawing board — until this cranberry syrup.
I know homemade fruit syrups sound pedestrian at first, but think of what they do: mix into sparkling water or champagne, build a cocktail, swirl into yogurt or oatmeal, use in place of maple syrup on pancakes, or puddle under vanilla ice cream. This cranberry syrup, in particular, was a ten-minute success: bright color, sharp flavor tempered by a toasty caramel base. It paired beautifully with a very almond-forward cake and came together fast. I’m sold.
Now, about the almond cake. I mentioned this one months ago — if you love almond desserts, keep this recipe handy. If you have a tube or can of almond paste, you can make this in under an hour; I did it on a Sunday before dinner when guests were due. Last time I made the cake with a strawberry-rhubarb compote in spring; this cranberry syrup might even be a better match — the contrast is stunning and the syrup’s sharpness cuts the cake’s richness.
Is it warm where you are? I’m jealous. If you can get fresh strawberries, a strawberry coulis is the warm-weather counterpart to this cranberry syrup. I wouldn’t swap the fruits in the recipes though: strawberries are best fresh and cranberries excel when cooked.
Adapted from an Epicurious recipe
Field | Info |
|---|---|
Yield | Not specified in original |
Time | Ready in about 10 minutes (syrup) |
Source | Adapted from Epicurious |
Difficulty | Easy |
Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
Granulated sugar | 1/3 cup |
Fresh or thawed frozen cranberries, chopped | 3/4 cup |
Water | 1/2 cup |
Cook the sugar in a dry 1½-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat without disturbing it until it begins to melt. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally with a fork or flat whisk, until the sugar fully melts and becomes a deep golden caramel. Carefully tilt the pan and add the chopped cranberries and the water — be warned, the caramel will harden and steam vigorously. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring, until the hardened caramel dissolves completely into the liquid. Pour the mixture through a very fine sieve into a heatproof bowl, pressing hard on the solids to extract the syrup. Let cool.
Stir the syrup into sparkling water, add to sparkling wine, drizzle over ice cream or yogurt, or puddle it beneath an intense almond cake for contrast.
Scrape in a couple of inches of vanilla bean pulp with the cranberries for a cranberry-vanilla syrup. Add a tablespoon of orange zest with the cranberries for an orange-hinted variation.
Tip |
|---|
Caramelize the sugar first, then add cranberries and water carefully — expect vigorous steaming. |
Strain the cooked mixture through a very fine sieve and press solids to get a glossy syrup. |
Use the syrup in seltzer, champagne, over ice cream, or as a dessert sauce for almond cake. |
For variations: add vanilla bean pulp or orange zest at the cranberry stage for flavor twists. |
Make the syrup ahead — it’s quick to prepare and stores well for later use. |
