Cranberries mashed with sugar for the winter

Cranberries are, without a doubt, one of the healthiest berries growing in Russia. But heat treatment, which is used to preserve berries for consumption in winter, can destroy many of the beneficial substances contained in them. Therefore, cranberries, pureed with sugar, are one of the most convenient and healing preparations for the winter from this valuable berry. Moreover, the preparation will not take much time and effort to prepare.

Classic recipe for cranberries with sugar for the winter

Preserving cranberries for the winter using this recipe does not require much effort or time.

Ingredients

The ingredients that will be used in the classic recipe for pureed cranberries for the winter are the simplest: cranberries and sugar.

For those who do not tolerate the consumption of sugar, it may be advisable to use fructose or a special green sugar obtained from a plant called stevia.

Honey can be considered the most healing substitute for sugar. Indeed, not only do they combine perfectly with cranberries, they also complement and enhance each other’s healing properties.

Proportions: cranberries with sugar

The proportions used to make cranberries pureed with sugar depend not only on the taste preferences of the person preparing this dish. Much is determined by the conditions under which the pureed berries are supposed to be stored in winter. Health indications are also important - some people can consume sugar, but in limited quantities.

So, the generally accepted proportions adopted in the classic recipe for cranberries mashed with sugar are 1:1. This means that, for example, 500 g of sugar should be prepared for 500 g of berries. The taste of the preparation is pleasant, not cloying, sweet and sour.

It is allowed to increase the proportions to 1:1.5 and even 1:2. That is, for 500 g of cranberries you can add 750 or even 1000 g of sugar. In the latter cases, cranberries pureed with sugar can be stored indoors throughout the winter - the berries will not spoil. But the taste, sweet and sugary, will resemble real jam.

It is recommended to store the product prepared according to usual proportions in cool conditions, preferably in the refrigerator.

Other types of sugar substitutes are usually added to cranberries in a 1:1 ratio. It is enough to add 500 g of honey per 1 kg of berries. However, such preparations should be stored in a cool place.

Preparing berries for processing

Since cranberries will not be subjected to heat treatment, for its successful storage, special attention is paid to the selection and preparation of berries for processing.

It doesn’t matter what kind of berries are used, fresh or frozen, first of all, they must be rinsed under running water or rinsed, changing the water several times. They are then sorted to remove any damaged, spoiled or heavily bruised berries.

After carefully sorting all the berries, they are laid out to dry on a flat, clean surface, preferably in one row.

It is important to pay attention to the container in which the cranberries, ground with sugar, will be stored in the winter. If glass jars are used for these purposes, they must not only be washed, but also sterilized. Plastic lids immerse in boiling water for a couple of seconds. Metal lids are kept in boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes.

How to grate cranberries

According to the classic recipe, cranberries must be chopped or pureed in any convenient way. Most often, an immersion or regular blender or food processor is used for these purposes. This is truly the fastest and most convenient way. Because when using a conventional meat grinder, the process can be complicated by the fact that the peel and pulp will clog the small holes of the device, and it will have to be frequently unscrewed and cleaned.

But it should be remembered that cranberries contain a lot of different natural acids that can interact with the metal parts of a blender or meat grinder.

Therefore, since ancient times, cranberries and other sour berries have been ground exclusively using a wooden spoon or masher in a wooden, ceramic or glass bowl. Of course, this method will be more labor-intensive compared to using kitchen appliances, but you can be 100% confident in the quality and healing properties of the resulting pureed workpiece.

Attention! It is not necessary to achieve complete grinding of absolutely all the berries - there will be nothing terrible if a couple of berries remain in their original form.

For those who are used to achieving perfection in everything and are not afraid of difficulties, we can additionally recommend grinding the cranberries through a plastic sieve. In this case, the consistency of the resulting pureed product is surprisingly soft and resembles jelly.

At the next stage, the pureed cranberries are mixed with the required amount of sugar and left in a cool place for 8-12 hours. It is best to do this at night.

The next day, the berries are mixed again and distributed into small, sterilized jars. It is most convenient to use lids with ready-made threads. Depending on the amount of sugar used, pureed cranberries are stored in the winter either in the refrigerator or in a regular kitchen cabinet.

Cranberries pureed with orange and sugar

Oranges, like lemons and other citrus fruits, go well with cranberries and complement them with their aroma and beneficial substances.

Moreover, to prepare a tasty and at the same time healing preparation for the winter you will not need much:

  • 1 kg cranberries;
  • about 1 large sweet orange;
  • 1.5 kg granulated sugar.

Cooking method:

  1. Oranges are doused with boiling water and the zest is grated using a fine grater.
  2. Then peel them, remove the seeds, which contain the main bitterness, and grind them using the chosen method: with a blender or through a meat grinder.
  3. Selected, washed and dried cranberries are also crushed into puree.
  4. Sugar is prepared into powdered sugar using a coffee grinder or food processor.
    Comment! Powdered sugar will dissolve much easier and faster in berry and fruit puree.
  5. In a non-metallic container, combine orange and cranberry puree, add the required amount of powdered sugar and, after mixing thoroughly, leave for 3-4 hours at room conditions.
  6. Mix again, place in jars and screw on sterile lids.

The delicacy for the winter is ready.

Cranberry recipe without cooking

This method of preparing cranberries for the winter is the simplest.

You will need:

  • 1 kg cranberries;
  • 1 kg granulated sugar.

According to this recipe for preserving cranberries for the winter without cooking, you don’t even need to grind them. Prepared berries, thoroughly dried after washing, without grinding, are placed in sterile dry jars, generously sprinkling each centimeter layer with granulated sugar.

Advice! It is important that the berries are completely dry before storing, so for these purposes you can even use an electric dryer or a low oven setting (no more than + 50 °C).
  1. The jars are filled with berries, not reaching two centimeters to the edge.
  2. The remaining sugar is poured into each jar almost to the very top.
  3. Each jar is immediately sealed with a sterile lid and stored in a cool place.

Cranberries in powdered sugar

Using this recipe, you can prepare pureed cranberries for the winter with less sugar content than using classical technology. Therefore, the recipe may be interesting for those who have to limit themselves from consuming too much sugar. True, it is advisable to store this preparation in a cool place - in the refrigerator or on the balcony in winter.

For production you will need all the same ingredients, only the proportions will be slightly different:

  • 1 kg cranberries;
  • 600 g granulated sugar.

The cooking process, as before, is simple:

  1. First you need to turn half of all granulated sugar into powder using any convenient device: coffee grinder, blender, food processor.
  2. Cranberries are prepared for processing in the usual way. Particular attention should be paid to drying the berries so that no excess moisture remains on them.
  3. At the next stage, the berries are ground in a convenient way, turning them into a puree if possible.
  4. Add 300 g of the resulting powdered sugar and mix the pureed cranberries for a while, achieving a uniform consistency.
  5. Sterilize small jars (0.5-0.7 l) and lids.
  6. The prepared berry puree is laid out in sterile jars, not reaching a little to their edges.
  7. Circles are cut out of parchment (baking paper) with a diameter several centimeters larger than the diameter of the opening of the jars.
  8. There should be exactly as many circles as there are jars of pureed berries prepared.
  9. Each circle is placed on top of the berry puree and sprinkled with a few tablespoons of granulated sugar.
  10. The jars are immediately sealed tightly with sterile screw caps.
  11. The sugar plug formed on top will reliably protect the cranberry puree from souring.

Conclusion

Cranberries pureed with sugar are very easy and quick to prepare. But this simple dish has the properties of a real home healer, and at the same time it tastes very attractive.

Leave feedback

Garden

Flowers