leftover fresh cranberries

[dimsumgirl]

I have about a pound of fresh cranberries that I didn't use and would like to bake something with them. Does anyone have any ideas for a cake or bread that would use fresh cranberries? I'm thinking they would go nicely with nuts or orange or lemon zest but don't have a recipe for it.

[DGresh]

you know the recipe on the back of the bag for cranberry bread (with orange zest and juice) is REALLY good!

http://www.oceanspray.com/recipes/rec...

[Chocolatechipkt]

Cranberry turtle bars: http://www.yankeemagazine.com/recipes/search/onerecipe.php?number=12865
I love these ... here's my pic: http://areyouhungryyet.blogspot.com/2008/11/cranberry-turtle-bars.html

I also add fresh cranberries to my recipe for chocolate pecan pie. The cranberries help to cut some of the richness of the pie, and they look pretty too.
http://areyouhungryyet.blogspot.com/2...

Cranberries also store very well in the freezer. I like adding a handful of cranberries to rice pilaf or to dishes like apricot chicken.

[chicgail]

Not a cooking solution, but I threw a cup of leftover cranberries into a glass vase that held flowers. They floated on the top of the water and made a really pretty red layer.

I do like cranberries in not-too-sweet breads, however.

[toveggiegirl]

I love using fresh cranberries in baking! Here are some favourites :

Triple-Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies - These are really decadent and fabulous and beautiful!
http://www.recipezaar.com/Triple-Chocolate-Cranberry-Oatmeal-Cookies-342491

Dorie Greenspan's Cranberry Upside-Downer Cake
http://www.recipezaar.com/Cranberry-Upside-Downer-Cake-355519

Rustic Canyon's Cranberry Orange Cornmeal Cake - Haven't tried this yet but I'm planning to soon.
http://www.recipezaar.com/rustic-canyons-cranberry-orange-cornmeal-cake-361714

Pastries a Go Go's Cranberry Nut Muffins
http://www.recipezaar.com/cranberry-nut-muffins-374119

Cranberry-Orange Scones
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[middydd]

This recipe for Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake is one of my favourites. It tastes terrific, but, even better it smells so good, both when you're mixing it and as it bakes.

http://www.recipe.com/orange-cranberr...

[RosemaryHoney]

If you're willing to go beyond breads and baked goods, one of my favorite things to make with fresh cranberries is a Cranberry Crisp. It's so easy - just dump the cranberries fresh or frozen) directly into a lightly greased baking dish (8"x8" works well for 1 lb of berries), and toss with a pinch of salt and 1/2 - 1 cup sugar (depending on how much tart you can tolerate). Top with your favorite crisp topping (I mix 1/2c flour, 1/2c brown sugar, 1/2c oats, a few pinches of salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and cut in 4 Tbs butter), and bake for about 45 minutes at 350.

[critter101]

I've used this recipe for Cranberry Pecan Bread, and thought it was delicious:
http://www.lottieanddoof.com/2008/10/...

[Val]

Critter, that looks so delicious and I LOVE it that you use fresh chopped cranberries directly in the batter...they don't have to be cooked first, right?

[Caitlin McGrath]

No - I haven't made this particular recipe, but I've used fresh, raw cranberries in quick breads and muffins lots of times. If you put them in the freezer first (or leave them frozen if they already are), you can chop them with a couple of pulses in a food processor with no mess, and they can go straight into the batter without thawing.

[Val]

Good information...thanks CM! Also, baking with the cooked cranberries is good for using up leftover cranberry sauce and is all well & good; just seems most recipes that I've seen, anyway, call for the cranberries to have been cooked first.

[critter101]

Nope - the cranberries in this recipe are put into the batter raw. As I recall, it produces a moist bread.

[Val]

Critter, thank you for the cranberry orange pecan bread recipe on the lottieanddoof website...just finished baking it and letting it rest...DE-luscious!!!!! Taking it to office tomorrow morning! Lovely recipe!

[goodhealthgourmet]

Val, try subbing coarse cornmeal for a portion of the flour next time...talk about delish!

[Val]

kewl...what ratio of cornmeal to flour? Recipe calls for 2 cups AP flour...thanks!

[goodhealthgourmet]

about 2:1 flour to cornmeal, so i'd say use 2/3 cup of cornmeal for this recipe.

[hotoynoodle]

i have made these with fresh cranberries and prefer that to the dried.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

i whiz the cranberries in the food processor rather than try to chop the rolly buggers.

[koshermasterchef]

Here's a link to an easy recipe I came up with when I had this dilemma. It does, indeed, have orange zest in it and will be in the recipe book I am working on (172 pages, bleh). http://www.chow.com/recipes/27984

[coll]

I make an upside down cake with apples and cranberries arranged decoratively on top.The cake itself is ginger flavored. It's not on Epicurious, but I have it written down if you're interested. Great for breakfast or dessert.

[dimsumgirl]

Coll: I would love the recipe for the upside down cake. I made a cranberry walnut loaf bread with the cranberries but it went over so well that I bought more fresh cranberries and now want to experiment with many more recipes. You can email me the recipe off the board if you wish: [e-mail] is my email address. Thanks so much. The upside down cake with apples and cran sounds really delicious! Thank you. dsg

[coll]

Here it is, I forgot it also includes pumpkin and applesauce, so it's pretty healthy for cake:

1 cup dark brown sugar
6 Tbsp butter
handful of chopped nuts
dash of dark rum
_____________
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 or 2 apples, sliced thin

Oil a cast iron skillet (I use a spray). Put in first 4 ingredients and cook on stovetop til bubbling.
Lay fruits in skillet in an artistic kind of way.

Make cake:
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 Tbsp applesauce
2 Tbsp maple syrup or molassas
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger to flavor

Mix above and pour over fruit.
Bake in oven 350 for 45 minutes.
Cool for 10 minutes, run knife around edges to loosen and invert on plate.

Good served with whipped cream or ice cream.

Let me know if you see it here, otherwise I will email you tomorrow.

[TampaAurora]

Any idea on how to make this without the cast iron skillet?

[goodhealthgourmet]

you should be able to make it in any oven-safe skillet since the baking temp is only 350, but check the specs on your skillet, and cover the handle with foil unless you're *sure* it's oven-safe.

[bethboing]

Hey I made this simple delicious cake today for a brunch with my mother-in-law. It was easy to prepare and but had a great WOW factor. I think next time I may add more apples and switch the applesauce and pumpkin proportions. Thanks.

[coll]

I am so glad you like it, it's especially good for the older crowd (of which I guess I'm one) because it has some healthy aspects. Time to make one myself!

[Val]

Coll, going to try this very soon...what size skillet will work here? Your instructions don't say...thanks!

[coll]

I have a 10 inch, but it does come out a little thin, so 8 or 9 inch would probably be fine too.

Last time I made it, my neighbors told me they look forward to the leftovers for breakfast, too (wouldn't let me take any back home). Hope you like it as much as they do!

[bushwickgirl]

Here's a link for the Spiced Cranberry Bundt Cake:
http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/20...

[chicgail]

Or just freeze them until you're ready to use them.

[coll]

But not too long, I had some left from last year and thought they'd be fine but major freezer burn taste (used them in Jezebel sauce, totally hides it).

[amazinc]

The "Chow Recipe of the Day" for November 20th, is a spiced cranberry Sangria
that sounds delicious. You might use your leftover berries for that. Or as another poster
recommended, use them in a vase, but add some flowers. The berries will act like
those glass marbles to hold the flowers.

[scuzzo]

An out-of-the-box reply: Fill a clear vase with them and then fill with water. It will probably keep thru Christmas and looks really cool!

[Caitlin McGrath]

I like them (usually coarsely chopped) in any quick bread or muffin recipes, like banana bread, pumpkin bread, cranberry-orange, etc.

This recent thread had lots of good-sounding recs for cranberry upside-down cake recipes, many with nuts: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/668774

[goodhealthgourmet]

- pumpkin bread or muffins with ginger & pecans
- cornbread or cornmeal muffins with meyer lemon

my recipes call for gluten-free flours & ingredients, but if either of those sounds appealing to you, i'm sure you can search the home cooking board for a good base recipe and add the cranberries & juice/zest/nuts.

for the record, if you don't want to use them right away, cranberries freeze extremely well.

[pikawicca]

This is easy, quick, and delicious.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...