Raspberry Cranberry Preserves

Rita~'s Note:

This is so bright red when jarred. Great over pancakes,waffles, top over vanilla ice cream, put into a layer cake or just top on toast. Gift giving. Drizzle softened preserves to garnish a dish. Add to a vinegar and oil for a raspberry salad dressing.Use to glaze a fruit pie, pork roast baked ham or a roasted chicken. Fill your favorite Christmas cookies.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 7.5 pint jars

• 6 cups raspberries
• 3 cups cranberries
• 2 ½ cups sugar , or Flavored Sugars #53926
• 1 orange , very very thinly sliced juice and all
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon , ground cardamom
• ¼ fresh ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• 1 vanilla pod , seeds removed (use the pod to make flavored sugar)
• 1⁄3; cup Grand Marnier

Directions:

1. Stir together 1 cup sugar and raspberries in a bowl and let stand for 1 hour.
2. Add cranberries and the remaining sugar together in a stainless steel pan and place over high heat.
3. Stir constantly so the sugar does not burn until the cranberries begin to release juice, about 5 minutes.
4. Continue cooking until all the cranberries have popped and the mixture is syrupy and comes to a boil.
5. Skim off any foam that forms on top and continue to cook and stir until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes more.
6. Add the raspberries and all their juice and cook for 10 minutes more.
7. Stir in the dried cranberries, sliced orange and spices.
8. Remove a small amount of the jam to a saucer and place in the freezer for 5 minutes.
9. If the mixture wrinkles when pushed to one side, it is ready.
10. If not, continue cooking for 5 minutes and retest.
11. When the preserves are the right consistency, turn down the heat to a simmer stir in Grand Marnier and ladle into hot sterilized jars.
12. Wipe the rims clean with a damp towel and seal with new lids and metal rings.
13. Process in a hot-water bath for 5 minutes.
14. Remove, cook, check seals, label, and store.
15. Makes 7 one 1/2 pint jars.

Reviews

[Gay Gilmore]

Love this. The tartness is unexpected in a jam and I think it makes it great on toast. I didn't do the whole water-bath thing -- don't trust myself yet. So I just froze lots of small containers so I could take them out periodically. Looking forward to cooking with this too -- say as a glaze for a pork roast...