For my daughter this is the undisputed highlight of our Christmas dinner and one of her all-time favorite foods. I have been making it for years from a photocopy from a cookbook whose title had been cut off from the copy (or “Xerox” as we used to call them. Heh heh. Look it up whippersnappers). The internet, of course, solved the mystery: the book is Williams-Sonoma Collection: Thanksgiving.
It is a beautifully simple recipe and has the added benefit of being able to be prepared three days in advance. And if you’ve ever successfully pulled off a big dinner you know that your best friend is anything with a “make ahead” note somewhere in the instructions. It’s also such a lovely festive ruby red and adds a nice punch of color to the table. I like to serve it in small bowls so it doesn’t run all over your plate but hey, if you love it as much as my daughter you might want to pour it all over everything. No judgments.
Notes
Can be made up to three days in advance.
Ingredients
- 2 cups apple cider
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 12-oz. bags fresh cranberries
Instructions
- In a medium-large non-aluminum saucepan combine the apple cider, sugar, water and cinnamon stick. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the cranberries, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the cranberries have burst, about 10 minutes.
- Let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours to develop the flavor. Remove the cinnamon stick and let the sauce come to room temperature before serving.
I’m so excited to make this! Do you think orange juice would work in place of the orange liquor? Or…