Molded Cranberry Sauce tastes so much better when made from scratch with this simple recipe. I wanted this sauce to feel very classic and just like the one we grew up eating, but with deeper fruit flavor and richness. It’s easy to make, with an always pleasing sweet-tart filling of real cranberries subtly flavored with orange zest, thyme and a touch of vanilla. When making the sauce for a party, prepare it in advance, then pour it into a 4-cup jelly mold or Bundt pan and chill for up to two days.
Start by cooking the cranberries, cranberry juice, sugar, orange zest, a few sprigs of fresh thyme, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring frequently, until the cranberries stop popping and the mixture has thickened. This takes about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool. In the meantime, pour ¼ cup of water into a bowl and sprinkle with gelatin. Let stand until the gelatin softens. In a blender, blend the cooled cranberry mixture until smooth, then add the gelatin and vanilla. Strain the mixture and pour it into the mold. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours. To serve, unmold the cranberry sauce onto a serving plate and garnish with candied orange zest. Enjoy!
To make the Molded Cranberry Sauce, you will need the following ingredients:
Using a cooking spray, lightly grease a 4-cup jelly mold or Bundt pan. Set aside.
To a medium saucepan, add 1 pound cranberries, ¾ cup white cranberry juice, 1 cup sugar, 2 strips orange zest, 2 sprigs thyme, and a pinch of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the cranberries burst and the liquid has thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
In the meantime, sprinkle 1 envelope unflavored gelatin over ¼ cup water in a bowl. Let stand for about 10 minutes to soften.
Once the cranberry mixture is cool, discard the orange zest and thyme sprigs and pour the mixture into a blender.
Blend the cranberry mixture until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Add the gelatin mixture and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and blend for 5 seconds.
Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl.
Pour the cranberry sauce into the prepared mold and chill until set, 12 hours or up to 2 days.
To serve, invert the mold onto a serving plate. Garnish with candied orange zest. Serve with your favorite Thanksgiving dinner menu.
Easy and delicious, this Molded Cranberry Sauce is the ideal accompaniment to your turkey dinner. It’s sliceable, jiggly, and has a deep fruit flavor. If you give this recipe a go, remember to tag us @cookmerecipes on Instagram – we love seeing your creations!
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