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Sugared Cranberries (Russian Klyukva v Sakhare), the Snow-Dusted Winter Sweet

Sugared Cranberries

Raw cranberries dipped in cooled sugar syrup, then rolled in sifted powdered sugar until they look like tiny snowballs. Bite one and the sweet shell gives way to a sharp, startling burst of tart juice. This is the Russian original, sold in little cardboard boxes through Soviet winters, and it takes almost no skill beyond patience while they dry.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 10 Servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Russian
Calories: 165
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz fresh cranberries firm and unsplit, about 3 cups
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar for the syrup
  • 1 cup water
  • 1.5 cups powdered sugar sifted, for coating

Equipment

  • 1 Small saucepan
  • 1 Slotted spoon
  • 2 rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper
  • 1 wide shallow bowl for the sugar coating
  • 1 fine mesh sieve for sifting the powdered sugar
  • 1 wire rack optional, for drying

Method
 

  1. Tip the cranberries onto a tray and sort them one by one. Keep only berries that are firm, glossy and completely intact. Discard any that are split, soft, wrinkled or pale. Rinse the keepers in cold water and spread them on a kitchen towel to dry completely, about 10 minutes. Wet berries will not hold their coating.
  2. Combine the granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan. Set over medium heat and stir just until the sugar fully dissolves and the liquid turns clear, about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not let it boil.
  3. Take the pan off the heat and let the syrup cool until it is no warmer than lukewarm, 30 to 40 minutes. Test it with a fingertip. If it feels even slightly hot, wait longer. This is the one step that decides whether the batch works.
  4. Add the dry cranberries to the cooled syrup and stir gently with a spoon for about 30 seconds, just until every berry is slick and tacky all over.
  5. Lift the berries out with a slotted spoon and spread them on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer. Let them drain 2 to 3 minutes so the syrup stops dripping but the surface stays sticky.
  6. Sift the powdered sugar into a wide shallow bowl. Working in small handfuls of eight to ten berries at a time, drop them into the sugar and roll them around with your fingers or by tilting the bowl until each one is matte white. Small batches are essential, a big handful clumps into a sticky raft.
  7. Transfer the coated berries to the second parchment lined sheet or a wire rack, spacing them so none touch. Shake off nothing, the loose dusting is part of the look.
  8. Leave them uncovered at cool room temperature to set and dry, at least 1 hour and ideally 2 to 3. The shell should feel dry and powdery, not damp.
  9. If any berries look patchy or shiny after drying, give them a second quick roll in the sifted powdered sugar. Serve the same day for the brightest snap, or within 2 days.

Notes

  • The syrup must be cool to the touch before the berries go in. Warm syrup bursts the skins and the whole batch turns to mush.
  • Sort ruthlessly. Any berry with a split, soft spot or wrinkle will leak and dissolve its coating. Firm berries squeak when you press them.
  • For the North American sparkling style, roll in coarse sanding sugar instead of powdered sugar. You get crunch and glitter rather than a matte snow finish.
  • Traditional Soviet factories used lightly whisked egg white as the binder instead of syrup. If you want that version, whisk one egg white until just frothy, toss the berries in it, drain, then dust.
  • Serve loose in a candy dish with hot spiced black tea, scatter them over a pavlova or cheesecake, or perch a few on a cheese board. They also make a fine cocktail garnish.
  • These are not shelf stable. They keep 2 to 3 days uncovered or loosely covered at cool room temperature. Never refrigerate or freeze them, the coating will dissolve into syrup.
  • Frozen cranberries work but weep as they thaw, giving a wetter, duller shell.