Sugar Coated Cranberries and Merangue Mushrooms

The Holidays are full of amazing food, and food always makes a great gift! We have two recipes to share! Check them out below.

Cranberries:

To add a holiday spark, add these to cheese trays, dessert spreads, cake tops or just leave them out for snacking.  They make beautiful gifts to share with friends and neighbors. 

12 oz. package fresh cranberries

1 ½ cup sugar 

Wash cranberries, drain and dry thoroughly.

Make simple syrup by combining ½ cup sugar with ½ cup water. Heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Cool.

In a small bowl toss cranberries in cooled simple syrup until well coated.  With a slotted spoon remove cranberries and drain on a wire rack. Some smaller berries will slip through the cracks so watch out for strays!  Allow to dry for at least 3 hours.  They will remain tacky when dry. 

On a large platter or cookie sheet, toss the cranberries in the remaining cup of sugar until fully coated. Package as desired.

NOTE: These will hold their crunchy sugar coating better if not contained in an airtight bag for long. The humidity breaks down the coating so if packaged for friends, encourage them to put them out in a bowl for snacking or at least open the bag for air flow.

Mushrooms:

With mushrooms trending in the design world we thought they needed to be a part of our holiday culinary magic as well. Get your kids involved too. If they get tired of making stems and caps, encourage them to try flowers and other shapes. These are as fun to make as they are to find uses for.  Packaged in clear cello bags or produce cartons they make great gifts. 

Kitchen supplies:

Large pastry bag with a plain tip that has about a ½” opening. 

Standing mixer with whisk attachment 

Parchment lined cookie sheet 

Ingredients:

½ cup egg whites, about 5 large eggs

¼ teaspoon cream of tarter

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon *vanilla extract 

1 cup sugar

Cocoa powder for dusting 

1/3 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 225. 

Beat egg whites until they start to foam.  Add cream of tartar, salt and extract. Whip until soft peak stage.  Gradually add the sugar in a slow steady stream and continue whipping on high until meringue holds stiff shinny peaks. 

Fill pastry bag and pipe caps by holding the tip close to the cookie sheet allowing the meringue to spread. Swirl when the cap is the desired size trying not to create a tail.  Any bump can be smoothed with your damp fingertip. 

Pipe stems by pulling up when piping until desired height. 

The beauty is creating different shapes and sizes.  

Lightly dust some caps with cocoa powder before baking.  

Bake for about 1 hr. and 15 minutes or until the parts are dry.  This will vary depending on the sizes but make sure the larger ones are dry.  While cooling, melt chocolate in a small ramekin.  

Dust some of the cooled caps with cocoa powder and smear gently with your fingertip. 

Using a small knife, make an indention in the middle of each cap.  Dip the tip of the stem in chocolate and insert into the indention.  Stand up mushroom and allow chocolate to set. 

Store in an airtight container.  

*Almond or peppermint extract are fun too depending on the use or your taste preference.

By Betty Kilpatrick