Cranberry Consommé – Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe
I wasn’t someone who grew up with homemade cranberry sauce (or canned) at every Thanksgiving. But, I do have a penchat for the tartly sweet, and anything juicy, which makes this cranberry consommé right up my alley.
“Consommé” is another one for the list of 1) words I didn’t know existed and 2) techniques I’d never heard of, until pastry school. In school, we made it using plastic wrap (which bubbles as it steams), but that’s gonna be a hard pass for me in my daily life.
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HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUCE
Consommé is like a juicy cranberry sauce. Compared to its thick counterparts on holiday tables, it’s another way to prepare fruit to serve alongside a dish.
Consommé is a slower and longer cooking process that allows the fruit to release its liquids and simmer in those yummy juices. The juice, as a result, is clear and packed with flavor.
You can serve it with ice cream, on top of a chocolate mousse, alongside panna cotta, and more!
What fruit can be used to make a consommé? Fruits that release a lot of juice when heated work best in a consommé. Think cherries, cranberries, blackberries, and raspberries.
INGREDIENTS
- Cranberries: release their juices slowly when gently steamed, creating a vibrant, clear cranberry consommé without breaking down the fruit.
- Lemon juice: adds brightness and acidity to balance the natural tartness of the cranberries and sharpen the final flavor.
- Powdered sugar: dissolves smoothly to sweeten the consommé without clouding the liquid, keeping it clear and refined.
Can I use a plastic bowl to make this recipe? No. You should only use a glass or metal bowl, as it needs to be heat-safe for the homemade cranberry sauce to simmer directly over a pot of water.
HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY CONSOMMÉ
Bring about an inch of water to a boil in a large pot. In a heat-safe bowl, combine the cranberries, lemon juice, and powdered sugar, then set the bowl over the pot so it sits above the boiling water and cover with a snug-fitting lid.
After 3–5 minutes, briefly remove the lid, tightly wrap the bowl with foil, and replace the lid to seal in steam. Reduce the heat to low and gently cook the cranberries for about one hour, allowing the fruit to slowly release its juices and form a clear cranberry consommé.
Once cooked, strain out the cranberries for a fully clear sauce, or leave them if desired. Transfer the cranberry consommé to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
3 reasons you’ll love this sweet and sour topping
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- If you can’t find cranberries, tart cherries make an excellent swap! You can also use sweet cherries, though you might need to balance with extra lemon juice if you want more of that tart zing.
- Use only a metal or glass bowl to make your cranberry consommé. Since it sits over hot water, you should only use heat-safe cooking equipment.
- Don’t lift the lid or foil while the consommé cooks down. Trappnig the steam is essentially to for the fruit to properly cook and release its juices.
- You can also make a berry consommé with fruits like raspberries and blackberries. It makes for a delicious topping on cakes, ice creams, and desserts like this lemon mousse.
STORING CRANBERRY CONSOMMÉ
Once made, store your homemade cranberry sauce in an airtight container in the fridge. If you leave the cranberries inside the clear juice, the consommé will last up to a week. If strained, it can last up to 10 days.
To freeze, strain the fruit out of the juice and store in a sealed container for up to 3 months.
MORE CRANBERRY RECIPES
- Single Serve Cranberry Pie
- Rosemary-Cranberry Mocktail
- 3-Ingredient Cranberry Compote
- Orange Cheesecake with Cranberry Sauce
- Rosemary Cheesecake with Cranberry Compote
EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
Equipment
- Heat-safe bowls
- Pot with lid
- Spatula
- Foil
- Measuring Spoons
- Digital Scale
Ingredients
- 200 g cranberries fresh or frozen
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 25 g powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place 1 inch of water into a large pot and bring to a boil.
- In a glass or metal bowl, place your cranberries, lemon juice, and sugar, and stir to combine. Place your bowl on the pot, above the boiling water, and place a lid on top of the bowl that fits as snugly as possible.
- After about 3-5 minutes, remove the lid briefly, tightly cover and wrap your bowl with foil, and place the lid back on. Turn the stove down to low and cook for one hour.
- If desired, strain cranberries out of the juice.
- Store airtight in the fridge until ready to use
