Cranberry Blanks

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Photo: Jaroslav Kettner / Rusmediabank.ru

Cranberries are considered to be one of the healthiest berries. It can be safely elevated to the rank of universal, since it is ideal for preparing not only sweet dishes, but sauces and even pickles. For many, cranberries evoke memories of childhood, when mothers and grandmothers with love and diligence prepared delicious refreshing fruit drinks for us. Once upon a time, cranberries were very popular among the Russian population, today interest in it has faded away, many prefer sweet strawberries, cherries and gooseberries. But some housewives still pay tribute to the traditions of their family and annually make various preparations from cranberries for the winter.

Useful properties of cranberries

Cranberry is a unique berry, it contains a huge amount of valuable substances, which is why it is widely used in folk medicine. It is rich in vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, C, K and PP. In terms of vitamin C content, cranberries can easily compete with citruses. Also, the berry boasts the presence of benzoic, cinchona, citric, ursolic, oleanolic, oxalic, succinic and malic acids. The first is recognized as a natural preservative. There are many micro- and macroelements (potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, molybdenum, zinc, chromium, iron, tin, iodine, silver, nickel and boron), pectin and other polysaccharides in cranberries.

Absolutely all substances that make up cranberries are balanced and easily absorbed by the body. The berry is ideal for those who follow a healthy diet, just imagine, 100 grams contains only 28 kcal. Cranberries and preparations from it are an excellent prophylactic agent that can strengthen the immune system and eliminate various colds. Syrups, juices and fruit drinks from this medicinal berry are effective at high temperatures, since they have antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties. Many will be surprised, but cranberry copes well with diseases of the genitourinary system and kidneys.

The magnesium and potassium contained in the berry helps to strengthen the walls of blood vessels and reduce the risk of blood clots. Cranberry preparations are recommended for hypertensive patients, because they lower blood pressure. Many years ago, the berry was called "rejuvenating", and in fact, cosmetics made from it restore skin elasticity and give it a fresh and healthy look. Unfortunately, cranberries are not good for everyone. It should not be used by people with high acidity of gastric juice, as well as suffering from liver diseases. It is also contraindicated in hypotonic patients.

Photo: Olena Rudo / Rusmediabank.ru

What can you cook?

Cranberry jam

To make jam for 1 kg of berries, you will need 1.5 kg of sugar and 1 glass of water. First, a syrup is prepared, into which berries are added immediately after boiling. Boil cranberries until softened in one go. Hot jam is laid out in sterilized jars and rolled up. By the way, apples, pears, gooseberries and even currants can become excellent allies for cranberries in jam. To add a special taste, it is not forbidden to add lemon zest, cinnamon and vanilla.

Cranberries, grated with sugar

There is nothing complicated in preparing this healing dessert (let's call it that). For 1 kg of cranberries take 1 -1, 2 kg of sugar. The berries are dipped in boiling water for a few minutes, thrown into a colander, and then grated through a sieve. Instead of a sieve, you can use a meat grinder. Sugar is added to the mushy mass, mixed and put on fire until it dissolves. While still hot, the resulting thick mass is laid out in sterilized jars and rolled up with metal lids.

Cranberry jelly

Jelly can be made from the cake obtained by squeezing the juice. It is poured with water, put on fire, brought to a boil and boiled for 5 minutes over low heat. Filter the broth, add sugar, bring it to a boil again, remove it from the heat, cool it slightly and add the previously dissolved gelatin. 200 g of cake will require 5 tablespoons of sugar, 500 ml of water and 15 g of gelatin.

Fresh cranberries with sugar

For 1 kg of fresh cranberries take 1.5 kg of sugar. The berries are pre-washed and cleaned of debris, and poured in layers with sugar into a glass container. Then the container is closed and removed to a cold place.

Cranberry compote

Peeled and washed berries are placed on the bottom of a sterilized jar, filling 1/4 - 1/3 part, and poured with hot syrup. To prepare a syrup for 3 liters of water, take 1 kg of sugar. Banks with compote are rolled up and the next day they are removed to a cold place.

Cranberry liqueur

For 250 g of cranberries, take 150 g of sugar and 500 ml of vodka. The washed cranberries are ground, the resulting mass is put into a jar, sugar and vodka are added. All components are mixed and removed for 2, 5-3 weeks in a dark cool place. After the allotted time, the tincture is filtered through a sieve or cheesecloth and poured into a bottle with a cork.