Sugared cranberries and cranberry ginger fizz

I make these sparkly little berries almost every winter for holiday festivities. They are a delightful burst of sweetness and tartness. Sugared cranberries dress up any party spread and compliment so many different flavors. There’s still time to make these for New Year’s! They take a while because they soak for a few hours in syrup, but the hands-on time is only about 10 minutes. You make simple syrup with water and sugar, and a little added flavor from ginger. This syrup can be re-used to make multiple batches of cranberries. It can also be used in mixed drinks. It turns a cheery bright pink color and has a hint of cranberry flavor. This year, my friend Stephen improvised a super delicious and therefore dangerous mixed drink with the leftover syrup. He calls it “Cranberry ginger fizz,” and I’ve shared the ingredients below.

Recipes after the jump!

Sugared cranberries
Recipe from Bran Appetit
 
Makes 2 cups cranberries
 
Ingredients
 
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and slashed a little so the juices can run out
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
2 cups sugar
 
Instructions
 
In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of sugar, water, and ginger to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
 
Add the cranberries to the sugar syrup, stir, and let sit for at least 4 hours (or overnight), stirring occasionally.
 
Put 2 cups of sugar into a bowl. Drain the cranberries from the simple syrup and add cranberries, in batches, to the sugar. Toss the cranberries with the sugar, shaking them in your hand or a slotted spoon to remove the extra sugar and fully coat them.
 
Move the sugared cranberries to a parchment lined baking sheet and let them dry for 2-3 hours.
 
 
Cranberry ginger fizz
Recipe by my friend Stephen
 
Ingredients
 
1.5-2 ounces cranberry ginger simple syrup leftover from making sugared cranberries
1.5-2 ounces vodka
Juice of half a lime
Club soda
 
Instructions
 
Mix the ingredients in proportions to your liking. Serve over ice, garnished with sugared cranberries.

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