Spiced Winter Cranberry Conserve Recipe

Winter Spiced Cranberry Conserve

A Cranberry Conserve perfect for winter with spices, apricots and nuts Servings 5 1/2 pint jars

Ingredients

• 4 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 1/2 cups orange juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 TBS crushed cardamom pods tied up in a cheesecloth or put in a tea strainer
• 4-5 sticks cinnamon
• 1 apple I used a Granny Smith
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, diced
• 1/2 cup walnuts, diced
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 TB brandy

Instructions

• Prepare canner, jars and lids. See The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving for guidance
• Place a saucer in your freezer
• In a large preserving pot or deep, stainless steel saucepan combine cranberries, orange juice, water, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil and then simmer at the lowest temperature, covered, while you prepare the rest of the ingredients or about 10 minutes.
• Chop apples, nuts and apricots into small dice
• Add sugar, return to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until mixture thickens...about 10-15 minutes.
• Add diced apples, nuts and apricots to conserve and cook, stirring constantly for about 5 more minutes
• Remove from heat and gel test by placing a small amount of the jam on the plate. Put plate back in freezer for 1 minutes. If when you push it with your finger it wrinkles a bit it is done.
• If gel state has been reached, skim off any foam and stir in brandy and ground ginger.
• Spoon your jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
• Remove air bubbles and wipe rim.
• Center lid on jar
• Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight.
• Place jars in canner, making sure they are completely covered with water
• Cover pot and bring to a boil
• Boil for 15 minutes
• Turn heat off, remove lid and let sit for 5 minutes
• Carefully remove jars with jar lifter and place on a rack where they can be undisturbed for 24 hours.
• Refrigerate any jars if their lids don't pop down.

Recipe Notes

• This recipe assumes some knowledge of proper and safe canning techniques. Please see the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving for guidance.

Pics and printable recipe available at: Nourish and Nestle

bon appetit