This is a recipe to save for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any occasion you fancy. I have taken a seasonal British accompaniment and added a popular ingredient currently trending in West Africa; hibiscus.
When you open your packet of ready-dried hibiscus sepals, you will notice a tart and somewhat delicious aroma. I liken this to dried raspberries or cranberries. It is simply fruity, giving the indication that the slight sourness is just what is needed to cut through the sweetness of the sauce. This is actually a short cut recipe. The first step is to prepare the hibiscus syrup ahead of time so that all you will need is to measure it out as an ingredient without fussing over several pots at once. You can prepare this sauce up to a week in advance of your occasion.
If you prefer not to make syrup, then you will need to create a decoction of the hibiscus sepals by either leaving to infuse in cold water (which makes a lovely cold drink) or by boiling it for 15 minutes. As cranberry sauce does not require much liquid to make it, you will need to reduce down the cold infusion or hot decoction so that the flavour can get more concentrated and intensify. It should reduce to about half the amount of liquid. You can then proceed to use the same measurement as for syrup in this recipe and add 75 grams of sugar.
Do not fear making generous amounts, it will not go to waste. The sauce is not sickly sweet, so you will enjoy scooping it up and lathering onto your nut roast, turkey or guinea fowl; with un-popped berries bursting in your mouth with every bite. Does that sound delicious enough for you? Give it a go!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup hibiscus syrup
- 300g fresh or frozen cranberries
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Preparation
- Place all the ingredients into a saucepan. Mix to combine the ingredients then bring to a gentle simmer. The cranberries will begin to pop and the mixture will begin to look jam or jelly-like. Stir the mixture to ensure that there is no burning involved. Boil for up to 15 minutes then set aside to cool. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Store in an airtight, sterile jar and keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Event preparation tip: This is one you can make ahead of time, no need to wait until the Christmas Day frenzy.
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- Prep Time: 1 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 16 minutes
- Yield: 1 large jam jar
