Cranberry Chocolate Clusters Recipes

CHOCOLATE-CRANBERRY TREATS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Set aside.
• Whisk the honey, vanilla, butter and egg together in a 5-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the rice cereal, cranberries and almonds until combined. Let the mixture cool for 45 minutes.
• Place the grated chocolate in a small bowl.
• Firmly press the rice mixture together into 36 balls, each about 1-inch in diameter, using slightly damp hands. Roll the cookies in the chocolate until coated and place on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for 1 hour until firm.

CRANBERRY CLUSTERS

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan or microwave, melt the chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Stir in the cranberries and cashews. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

CRANBERRY CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Combine the sugar and 1/2 cup of water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat to high and, without stirring, cook until the syrup is golden amber or until a candy thermometer reads between 250 to 265 degrees F (hard-ball stage), about 10 minutes (see Cook's Note*). Promptly remove the saucepan from the heat.
• Working quickly, drop 3 cranberries into the caramel. Use 2 forks to coat the cranberries completely in the syrup and pull together into a cluster. Place the cranberry cluster on a waxed paper lined baking tray. Repeat with the remaining cranberries. Reheat the syrup briefly over low heat if it starts to thicken. Let the clusters cool to harden.
• Melt the white chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl over barely simmering water. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula until the white chocolate is almost completely melted. Be careful that no moisture gets into the chocolate, or it will harden. Remove the bowl from the heat and allow the white chocolate to cool slightly.
• Dip the bottom of the cranberry cluster into the white chocolate and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet to set for approximately 20 minutes. Place clusters in paper candy cups and store in an airtight container.

CRANBERRY CHOCOLATE CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Melt chocolate using the microwave or double boiler (detailed in post)
• Stir in cranberries and nuts until coated with chocolate
• Using a spoon fill molds or spreat on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
• Let set in the fridge for 2 hours.
• Enjoy right away and store leftovers in an airtight container.

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat or with 40 mini-muffin liners.
• If you're using white chocolate, use 6 tablespoons/85 grams butter. For semisweet chocolate, use 8 tablespoons/113 grams butter. Put the butter in a small saucepan, top with the chocolate and cook over very low heat, stirring almost constantly, until smooth. (Alternatively, you can stir in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water or in a microwave-safe bowl in a microwave, stirring in 20-second increments.)
• Meanwhile, toss the cornflakes, cranberries and coconut, if using, in a large bowl. Pour over the melted chocolate and gently stir in with a flexible spatula. Some of the cereal will break - it's inevitable - but keep working until you've coated all of the flakes.
• Use a medium cookie scoop or two spoons to shape sweets either on the lined baking sheet or in the paper liners. Gently press the mixture into the scoop or a spoon, binding the elements, before releasing the scoop or scraping the mixture off the spoon with another spoon onto the sheet or into the liners. Finish with salt and sprinkles, if using.
• Refrigerate or freeze (my preference) for about 30 minutes, or until set, before serving. To keep, cover and refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to a month. These are good straight from the fridge or just a few minutes out of the freezer.

CRANBERRY CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Combine sugar and water in saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high and, without stirring, cook until syrup is golden or until thermometer reads 250 degrees (hard ball stage). Remove from heat.
• Working quickly, drop 3 cranberries into caramel. Cranberries will almost come together on their own forming a cluster. Place clusters on wax paper to cool and harden. Caramel can cool quickly. I have actually placed the caramel on a heating pad to try to keep warm. You can try to gently reheat over stove but be careful not to burn.
• Melt chocolate in double boiler or bowl over simmering water. Remove bowl and place chocolate in room temperature bowl.
• Dip bottom of candies into chocolate and place on wax paper to cool. Store in airtight container or freeze.
• If your sugar coating is clear and sparkily only dip the bottom because they are beautiful. However, by the end of dipping, the sugar will become cloudy from crystalization. Just dip the whole thing. They are just as good.

CRANBERRY & WHITE CHOCOLATE CLUSTER SQUARES

Steps:

• Mix butter and graham cracker crumbs.
• Pat into 9x13 pan.
• Mix remainder of ingredients together and spread over top.
• Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
• Chill and cut into squares.