Canned whole cranberries typically come packed in a sweetened, cranberry sauce liquid.
When it comes to fruit, it doesn't get more American than cranberries, one of only a few fruits native to North America. A classic at the Thanksgiving table, cranberries have a tart, slightly sweet taste to them that works well in several recipes. When working with cranberries, fresh is always best, but not always available. Canned whole cranberries are a fine substitute for fresh in just about any recipe that calls for cranberries.
Cranberry Sauce
Although you can simply open up the can of whole cranberries, dump it in a bowl with its liquid and serve it as is, doctor it up a bit for a more dessert-like cranberry sauce. One option is to add other fruits to it, such as mandarin oranges, blueberries or chopped apples. Add nuts, such as pecans and walnuts, to add a bit of crunch to plain cranberry sauce. Add spices, such as nutmeg or cinnamon to spruce it up as well.
Cranberries in Gelatin
Fruit is a common addition to gelatin mold desserts and canned cranberries are no exception. Cranberry gelatin salad is a classic gelatin dessert that starts with dissolving the gelatin mix in water, then adding the cranberries and sauce. Some recipes call for the addition of other fruits as well, such as pineapples and apples. Once well-combined, refrigerate the gelatin mixture to chill until firm. Top with heavy whipped cream when you are ready to serve.
Cranberries in Pie
If you love cherry pie, think of cranberry pie as a tart twist on the original. Canned cranberries work very well as a fruit filling because it already comes in a sweetened sauce so all you have to do is pour it into a prepared pie shell. You can also add canned cranberries to cherry pie or other fruit pies, such as apples, blueberry or even peach pie. Another idea is to spoon the canned cranberries over cheesecake instead of the more-common cherry topping.
Cranberries in Cakes
You can add whole cranberries to a simple cake batter to make a cranberry cake. Drain the cranberries from the sauce first so you do not end up with thinned-out batter. Use the cranberries for cupcakes, coffee cake, muffins and scones as well. Another way to add cranberries to cake is to sprinkle the canned cranberries with flour and pour them on top of a cake batter already in the baking pan. Once bake,d the cake has an attractive layer of cranberries on top. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Tags: canned cranberries, whole cranberries, cake batter, Canned whole, Canned whole cranberries, cranberry sauce