I understand that homemade fruit syrups probably don’t sound particularly exciting from the outset, but do consider all of the things that you can do with them: beyond the aforementioned homemade sodas, imagine splashing it in some champagne, if you’re fancy, or building a cocktail around it. You can swirl it into your morning yogurt or splash it over your oatmeal. It would be a tasty swap for maple syrup over pancakes, if maple syrup isn’t your thing (but if it is not, who are you?) or an accent to a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Or, as this cranberry syrup did a couple nights ago, it makes a easy, delicious dessert sauce for the kind of cake that needs some contrast.
Now, about the almond cake. I told you about this one a zillion years (okay, 21 months) ago, but to refresh: if you’re into almond confections, this is a great recipe to keep around. Do you have a tube or can of almond paste in your cabinet? You can make this in in under an hour, as I did on Sunday when I realized people would be joining us for dinner.
It was spring last time I made this, so the strawberry-rhubarb compote was a good fit, but this cranberry syrup (after remembering the bag I’d stashed in the freezer after it went unused Thanksgiving week) might just trump it — the color is stunning, the flavor is sharp but toasty from a caramelized sugar base and the whole thing came together in ten minutes. I’m sold.
Is it warm where you are? I’m jealous. But I’ll be nice and note that if you can get fresh strawberries, this strawberry coulis is what I consider the warm weather equivalent of this cranberry syrup. I wouldn’t swap the fruits in these recipes, however; I think strawberries taste better fresh and cranberries are always tastier cooked.
Thomas Keller’s Almond Cake [Gâteau aux Amandes]: In the archives.
One year ago: Light Wheat Bread
Two years ago: Pickled Carrot Sticks
Three years ago: Artichoke Ravioli with Tomatoes
Cranberry Syrup
Adapted from an Epicurious recipe
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh or thawed frozen cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup water
Cook sugar in a dry 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork or flat whisk, until sugar is melted and turns a deep golden caramel. Tilt pan and carefully add cranberries and water (caramel will harden and vigorously steam). Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring, until caramel is completely dissolved, then pour syrup through a very fine sieve into a heatproof bowl, pressing hard on solids. Let cool.
To use: Stir into sparkling water, sparkling wine, drizzle over ice cream or yogurt or puddle underneath an intense almond cake.
Play around: Stir in a couple inches of scraped vanilla bean pulp with the cranberries for a cranberry-vanilla syrup. Add a tablespoon of orange zest in with the cranberries for an orange-hinted cranberry syrup.
I like cranberries, but I’m thinking I’d like the strawberry-rhubarb compote even more! That sounds fabulous and very ‘spring-like’ in the wintery, blustery weather!
Mmmm. And this cranberry syrup looks perfect for so many things! Thanks. :)
Ahem…..where is our pic of the beautiful babe?!?!?!
Not that I don’t appreciate a good cranberry syrup & almond cake (and it does look very, very good)…but how can they possibly compare to the delicious Jacob?
we dont have a stovetop at our house, would it work over a bunch of firewood?
Looks amazing. Can’t wait to try this…hopefully this weekend
I’ve been looking for a way to use up the cranberries I bought right after Thanksgiving. They were so cheap I couldn’t resist. They’ve been in my freezer ever since. Well it looks like I have a reason to start defrosting!
Everything I’ve made from your blog has been a HUGE hit (that I have taken precisely zero credit for-you’re a kitchen goddess!), and I can’t wait to add this to my repertoire! YUM!
Wow! This looks divine! I love anything with cranberries. I need to make this ASAP!
I totally forgot the Jacob picture! Will people rise up against me? (P.S. Now it’s there!)
Ooh…so pretty. A buffet for my eyes while the rest of me is dieting!
My dear friend who lives across the country from me in L.A. (and, incidentally, also introduced me to your site) first gave me the idea of making my own simple syrups. She loves lavender everything, so we (okay, she) made a lemon lavender simple syrup with natural sugar to mix with soda water or tea – hot and cold. It was delicious and so simple. I loved how far such a little went and how I felt like I was cheating making my own perfect sparkling juice. Orange cranberry sounds great. Oh, and when I was pregnant and had gestational diabetes and even sugar was taboo, “La Croix” sparkling waters were a staple.
That syrup is simply beautiful! I always want to try this to make my own sodas and now I have no excuse.
I make fruit sauces often; and I love cranberries–this is a keeper. Oh, and that cake–where’s the pic of the bub???
Mmmm..this could “pink-up” some frosting for cupcakes..and Bonus..it’s a natural color. It’d be good to flavor tea and probably could be stirred into milk. Sold!
So pretty. But I’m a maple syrup fanatic. Nothing could sway me.
The syrup and cake looks amazing, mind you, pretty much everything over here does. Thanks for all the inspiration over the year.
I love blog, by the way. This is the first time I am commenting on it. I am SO in love with natural fruit syrups mostly because I am, well, that one person that is NOT all about maple:). But moreover, I am that person who is all about fruit and being all non-high-fructos-y. So, thus was born my berry syrup for morning waffles. Now I cannot eat pancakes or waffles without fruit-ness. So, I like to try some of the things you blog and this weekend is this particular dish:) I cannot wait!
Oh yum, my syrups are always too sweet for me to stomach
Hurray! THE JACOB PICTURE!!! (I was just about to rise up out of my chair, when *pouf!* there he was!) That hair is amazing. It’s so confusing because makes me think he’s so much more grownup than he is. He’s truly beautiful, Deb!
Oh, and the cake/syrup combo looks amazing, too!
That cake looks great – and yes, it’s warm here so I’ll try and do the strawberry version.. (actually it’s so warm here that we realised last week there was almost 50 degrees (celcius) difference between where I was (Sydney) and where my mum was (Oxfordshire UK).. so first I’ll have to pluck up the courage to turn on my oven…
And yes, no picture = revolt!! Except that I’m still chuckling over the “margarita” version!!
Swoon. I would eat this everyday.
Is the cooked sugar the same process as making flan? The last time I made flan, I couldn’t get my sugar to turn golden. I have read to use a skillet, yet other recipes say to use a saucepan. How long do you cook the sugar? Now I have a fear of flan! (could be a cookbook by Erica Jong)
It freezes? Well that’s it, This must reside in my freezer for all necessary events and purposes. I love red sauces…like melted jewels!
A cake can’t be too almondy. It looks like an elegant cake for a dinner party.
I can talk about fruit syrups all day.
In the Last Summer alone I made :
raspberry, blackberry, redcurrant, blackcurrant ( good against headache), Cherry ( helps with asthma and PMS) …
I could go on forever telling you that I have all this plants and the big cherry tree just for this in our Garden but this would make me sound a little nuts.
Great work with this one, maybe I will have to give cranberry a try. I know where there is a free spot in the garden.
Why, yes. It *was* warm today. Actually it was a little chilly for us, very windy and about 70. Iknow, I KNOW, SHUT UP! I hate it, as a matter of fact I’d love to trade with you. Barring that, do you happen to have a fabulous lemon muffin recipe? Lemon lemony, like with some pucker factor? That would be awesome.
Gorrrgeous photos! and I love the idea of putting the syrups into seltzer water!
it is indeed warm in my part of the world … but i am inspired to hunt down some frozen cranberries. that being said, i think i’ll also try these cakes with the strawberry syrup, too. they’re everywhere in my part of the world (australia) right now!
How beautiful! The syrup really brightens up the cake.
The cranberry syrup looks amazing and gives a great contrast (I’m sure taste as well) to the cake.
Cranberry syrup sounds absolutely delicious! I bet it would be rockin’ on pancakes!
I am constantly amazed by how many cooking ideas I have gleaned from this site. Also so many things that I never realized could be made at home. From scratch. But this one takes the (almond cake). I could totally make this when I get home. Plus we have a seltzer machine (everyone in Germany does) so I can make cranberry soda. Crazy Crazy Crazy. I’ll have to see if I can try this with quince, as it is my recent soda crush. Thanks for the ideas again and again.
This syrup looks really good. I have never cooked with cranberries before; will be a good way to start… and to feed my children in home-made sodas. The cake looks really good too but, January being Galette des Rois season for French people, I have had plenty of really good almond-based desserts.
PS: Unless you only buy “local” (but how local can you be living in NYC?), strawberries are in season in Florida… if the frost can spare a lot. I know, strawberries in the middle of East Coast winter? A sacrilege? Well, a good reason, to make home-made, fresh desserts, non?
You ask who those people are who don’t like maple syrup – It is I! I have never liked maple syrup, and likely never will. I love going to breakfast places that actually have fruit syrups. But this homemade kind sounds delicious! I may have to try this recipe soon. Thanks!
Sounds great and the ingredient list certainly is much shorter than the ones you find in stores.
Deb-just a quick question about the almond cake…it calls for Amaretto and we don’t drink. I never have alchol in the house, so what am I supposed to use in recipes that call for alcohol?????
And when there are no cranberries to be found anywhere…
I think this would make syrup would help to create a fantastic twist on a vodka tonic. Sounds perfect for this upcoming hoiday weekend :-)
Brilliant! There’s a bag of cranberries loitering in my fridge like hooligans with no life goals.
The syrup is so bright and beautiful. Lucky for me I have a couple bags of cranberries in the freezer. I see some waffles in my future.
What do you think about Canning this??? I want to make these for presents!
And where pray tell can we find those lovely little baby spring forms? They are so cute?
I made a similar syrup for a New Year’s Day party and served with prosecco. Here’s what I did: Dissolve 1/4 cup sugar in 1/4 cup water in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 cinnamon stick and ½ tsp. grated orange peel; bring to boil. Mix in ½ c cranberries and cook until cranberries begin to pop. This made the most lovely, seasonal cocktails.
oh how i love almond cake! i recently read and blogged about a galette des rois that I made.
i am trying to get as enthusiastic over the fruit syrup, really i am. it looks delicious. but my love of almonds overcomes all else….
I’ve been looking for a tasty/easy dessert for dinner tomorrow – this just may do the trick! Thanks :)
How long do you think it will keep? And along with Ruth, what do you think about canning it?? :)
Hmmmm. This cranberry syrup sounds wonderful! My dietitian has asked that I replace most of the wine I drink with seltzer (boring) or flavored sparking water (even more boring). I am giving this a shot today! I wonder how long cranberries “keep” in a freezer. I found a bag from 2 years ago buried in mine.
I, too, am a maple syrup hater! I will happily cook with it, but will not let it within ten feet of my pancakes or waffles. This is why I must make this syrup for brunch this weekend. Thanks!
P.S. No baby picture = revolt!
So refreshingly colorful for winter, going to make a note to try this as soon as I get to the store to buy some gorgeous cranberries!
My cranky Facebook status the other day was that there were no fresh cranberries left in my county. An angelic friend shared with me where the last store was and I got a bag for the thing I meant to make. Now I know I should have gotten two!
Is there a way to store this syrup so that it doesn’t go bad? No way I’m tossing the extra!
Cranberry-vanilla syrup … yeeeum. And just last weekend I was eyeballing the frozen cranberries in my freezer, wondering, “what am I going to do with you?” And I do believe I have a vanilla bean loitering in the pantry….
For a moment, I thought the almond paste in the photo was a tube of cookie dough, and I was afraid maybe you were a bit overwhelmed…
The cranberry sauce looks delicious and will use up the cranberries in my freezer left over from (ahem) Thanksgiving.
I saw those mini-springforms at HomeGoods just yesterday. Said, “Oh, how cute, but I don’t need them,” and I was strong and left them on the shelf. But now I *need* them!
I for one love the cranberry idea! Tart+sweet+yummy almond cake = divine!
Hi Deb! Love the blog, have been using it and getting lots of compliments :)
Looks like you are using tiny spring form cake pans there. Will this cake recipe work if you use one big spring form? Thanks!
Sudhana — Yes. If you follow the link to the original recipe, you can see that I made it in a larger pan (and mention in the recipe that you can use mini-springforms or an 8- or 9-inch one).
Tracy — Oh, you don’t need them. :) I can tell you that I’ve had mine for years and that they’re one of the things I get the least use out of. (You guys know, I’m all about the practical.) It was only when I remembered that this cake was originally designed for small springforms (but as I mentioned above, can be made in a large one) that I insisted upon dusting them off.
Mini-springforms — I bought mine through Amazon. They’re a set of four, which is really all you need to subdivide a standard 9-inch cake, but I picked up two more at some point.
Ruth — I haven’t tried canning the syrup. I haven’t tried canning much, but from what I understand, I don’t see why the syrup wouldn’t work.
I need to get me some almond paste, asap.
These little cakes are just cute, Deb – and that crimson syrup is making me salivate. Not a nice thing to do at work, trust me. ;)
I love that you own mini springforms. I just got around to playing with a big one last month, I didn’t even know there were mini ones! Dear lord, I’m going to have to buy more shelves…
thanks this sounds amazing – and yes i am in south africa where it is hot and sunny. hope your day warms up
Betty Bake
After seeing this, I am ready to get past my overindulgence in cranberry sauce!
I love your recipes and the fact that you always “hide” a photo of Jacob. Who is the cutest baby I’ve ever seen!
This is beautiful, I love almond cake–very festive along with the cranberry sauce, wish I had seen this one before the holidays were over! But, yes, with strawberry sauce–omg!
This looks delicious! What I love is that it uses ingredients which are all in my food stash already – except for the amaretto for the cake. Is that necessary? Could I subsitute almond extract?
Thanks! I love Smitten Kitchen.
Your images are simply gorgeous. As soon as we move to our new house, my kitchen will be filled with Smitten framed photos – inspiration for cooking and beautiful to boot!
I was just looking at a cranberry almond cake recipe on Epicurious. Looks like their recipe is getting the boot in favor of yours.
Maybe, probably, I missed it, but where’s the recipe for the cranberry syrup? I see the pictures but not the recipe. But having the proportions of sugar to fruit would be helpful.I saw that Listgirl left her recipe in the comments. Is this how you made your? I’d love to try to make this.
Thank you for the almond cake recipe. Almond is one of friend’s favorite flavors and his birthday is coming up. Now I know what to make for him.
This is perfect! I happen to have an unopened roll of marzipan that I need to use (I had been inspired to make some colorful shaped sushi for this dinner party but didn’t have time to make it). I can’t believe I have almost all those ingredients (for the almond cake) in my home already. Heh, except for amaretto (like Laura above). I do have Kahlua . . and almond extract. Mmm . . coffee almond cake . . .
I still have 10 bags of frozen cranberries in my freezer begging to be used–thank you for this recipe!!! :)
Deb…this looks fabulous, but I need to cut the sugar. Any thoughts on a fruit syrup recipe made with Splenda, at least in part?
Oh my goodness, that cranberry syrup looks amazing! I did Rhubarb last summer for a cocktail party – makes a wonderful, not sweet vodka martini. I’m wondering, with the cranberry, if it might not be good with an orange sort of cake? I’m not that fond of almonds, but orange, yes! I think that will be my dinner party dessert this weekend.
This looks so good and I love cranberries! Too bad I’m allergic to almonds.
Deb, do you have any other cake suggestions that might pair well with the cranberries that don’t include any almonds (or any pecans, my other allergy)?
PS Love love love your blog!
RevAnne — Sorry, I have not worked with Splenda before.
Stefanie — You should check out the Cake part of the Recipes Index, so many options. You might also like the Cream Cheese Pound Cake. It’s a delight.
Amaretto substitutions — You can simply skip the booze. (I always forget to brush it on top anyway, harms nothing.) To compensate for that little extra almond kick, you can add an additional teaspoon of almond extract.
Other subs — By the way, nobody was more surprised than me to find that I owned a small bottle of Amaretto, probably bought last time I made this. (Anyone else cook enough that they have all sorts of liquor around they never, ever drink?) I was thinking about trying it with Cognac if I didn’t have any, since I’d enjoyed it in this Lighter, Airy Pound Cake. Or even rum. Or maybe one tablespoon (instead of two) of an orange liqueur, such as Triple Sec or Grand Marnier.
What you do when guests are coming in an hour and you need a dessert: Make this amazing almond-cranberry confection.
What I do when guests are coming in an hour and I need a dessert: Rummage in the pantry and pull out stale Laffy Taffys and Tootsie Rolls from Halloween.
I’d rather come to your house.
When I make a caramel sauce, I heat the cream before adding it to the melted sugar. It keeps it from cooling the sugar and clumping. I think that would work with this, too.
All right, I need to make that syrup. My girlfriend loves cranberry and I’m sure she would be wicked excited if she could add it to whatever she wants.
This looks amazing, and the best thing about using it over cake is that I can make it that way for me and with something else for my cranberry-hating husband.
Of course, now I’m trying to remember where I found the cranberry cordial recipe I made a few years ago. It was really good. The right blend of tart and sweet (and not nearly as kick in the pants as the krupnik I make shortly after).
Mmmm, I must make this syrup. Your little almond cakes are so cute in there little individual pans!
I love learning about homemade syrups! As an alcoholic in recovery I have spent a good piece of the last 4 years drinking the same few beverages- ginger ale, mineral water or tonic water. I started making some flavored syrups (lemongrass, lime, jamaica flower) to stir into these otherwise lackluster choices and what a marvelous difference! I am excited to add cranberry to my repertoire of beverages!
This looks like a mighty fine recipe, but even as the un-pickiest of eaters, I’m not so fond of cranberries outside of chutneys and relishes. That doesn’t mean I can’t put a ziploc bag full of sour cherries to good use –ummm montmorency cherries and almond cake — a dessert marriage made in heaven.
You are amazing! The simplicity of a syrup into this beautiful post!
Both cakes and syrup look delicious and all, but I’m stuck back on the line about your issues with grownup sodas…. Have you tried Fizzy Lizzys? They’re all fruit juice, with a little bit carbonation; love the grapefruit version, personally, but every one I’ve tried has been really tasty.
Oh wow! This looks delicious. Really elegant too. I run hot and cold on almond based desserts, but I think I’d really like it with the cranberry in it. Thanks!
This looks amazing. Makes me want to pull out my mini spring-form pans and start baking!
this is so gorgeous I just want to “feast my eyes” all day on it :-) So perfect for Valentine’s Day and looks pretty easy too.
mmmmm, this looks yummy. And I just happen to be currently ensconced in that mocktail kind of lifestyle for the same reason you were. Plus I have two whole bags of cranberries burning a hole in my freezer.
I wonder if you’re familiar with the Make Grow Gather blog? The blogger is very into making syrups for cocktails (or mocktails) out of somewhat surprising ingredients. I have been inspired a time or two.
Nice idea… very nice. I have a bag and a half in the fridge and have been meaning to make a coffee cake with them, but in the meantime i’m sure i could spare a few for syrup, right? and then i could even kick the cake up a notch and drizzle cranberry syrup over it!!
on second thought, that might be overkill, but well see. i’ll let you know if i try that on for size ;).
Yum! A delicious treat! Thank you so much for sharing (and cute pix of Jacob baby!!! yesh!).
It’s warm in the sunshine state, yeah, if you call 50 degrees a ‘heat wave’, but with our 19 degree weather recently (all who bought 200 buck plane tickets to enjoy a tropical winter and a ‘warm’ day at disney, we snicke :)), it’s going to be a while before the sidewalk egg-frying business picks up again.
I love the Smitten “Kitten” editor email you tweeted about. LOL :) Seriously, though, if you made a COOK BOOK (with cute baby pictures? huh…) it would be a hit and all your doting fans would make you millions to enjoy SK without staring at a computer screen (and we wouldn’t have to drag our laptops to the kitchen…you know, to save printing costs and the forests and stuff :)).
I don’t like almonds or almond flavoring, but the syrup is making my mouth water!
You hit the nail on the head with the mimosa idea. That’s how I’ve been making them lately, with cranberry juice. Well, cranberry/pomegranate juice, raspberries, blackberries and chunks of peach. So.danged.good!
I too managed to way overbuy on the cranberries this year (local farm, special offer, i’m sure you understand), and it’s gotten so I add them to things like stir fry (surprisingly good!). This is a wonderful idea. I’m envisioning brilliant ruby red cranberry lime cocktails and cranberry truffles at my Valentine’s party this year.
Oh the idea of homemade sodas sounds GREAT! I’m definitely bookmarking this recipe.
Sorry to hijack, but I just noticed that it’s been one year that you posted the Light Wheat Bread, from BBA
did you know that your post was one of the things that got me into baking almost ALL the bread we eat since Jan 2009?
I had not noticed it’s been a full year…..
THANK YOU!
Yes! Another fruit recipe to atop almost-fabulous desserts! I just made a clementine cream that I’m currently addicted to, but I am looking forward to giving this a whirl.
Speaking of creating your own syrup/soda creations, I made your winter fruit salad for new years morning’s brunch. I reserved the syrup after straining out the fruit. We ditched the OJ and drank champagne with the syrup. SUPERB. Vanilla, Star Anise, Lemon (Meyer in this case), Pear & Apple. Mmmm, I want some right now.
Thank you so much, I have a giant tub of almond paste to use up. This cake sounds delicious!
Love the vivid colour of the syrup….. It’s got me thinking of all the different types of syrups you could make. Can’t wait to the summer – I think Strawberry and Elderflower might work.
I just used all my cranberries up making cranberry upside down cake! Grrr! This will have to wait.
PS I love my cranberry-anything ice cold! I love cranberry sauce in the summer too.
Those cakes look absolutely SCRUMPTIOUS! and the syrup looks like a lovely addition, I have recently fallen in love with cranberries, i just love their tartness and unique flavor! Oh and i love your blog by the way the pictures are all so gorgeous
i recently started my own food blog and i hope you don’t mind if i borrow a few ideas from you, thanks =]
While i’m in love with the gorgeous cranberry syrup, I do have a soft spot for your almond cake. I’m in nyc too and jealous of anyone who might have answered yes to your “Is it warm where you are?” question!
I feel like this Cranberry Syrup could make a nice addition to Turkey as well? it may be a bit sweet (so perhaps cut back the sugar?) but I love dipping Turkey in cranberry sauce and dipping it in cranberry syrup – that just sounds even better. am I wrong?
As always, thanks for the fabulous, well, everything! Technically this comment is related to the almond cake, but I was wondering what everyone’s thoughts were on sifting. It seems like half of the world says it’s not necessary with modern flour, the other half says you have to do it for airy batters/doughs. Deb, why are you such a proponent? (I apologize if you covered this before! I tried to find your thoughts on it using the search function but couldn’t.)
melissa — I haven’t discussed it and I don’t always do it. It depends on the cake or confection. Something like this almond cake can be very dense if not whipped just so. It has no leaveners. (The same goes for the Poppy Seed Lemon Cake I posted a few days ago.) In these cases, keeping the ingredients light and airy is very important. Your cake won’t flop if you don’t do it, but you will get more from the texture if you do.
Jessi — Actually, I think this syrup is less sweet than most (at least canned) cranberry sauces. It’s quite tart. But I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.
Fantastic way to use a fruit syrup. I love your thought process of throwing together ingredients that are already sitting in the freezer and pantry. That appeals great to my store-lazy self.
Anything with cranberry makes me go crazy! I LOVE cranberries!
I made the strawberry rhubarb compote and it was so delicious over angel food cake, so looking forward to trying this one as a winter version. I love cranberries in other things, but often find them a bit tart when they are the star player. I’m excited to try this with the caramel base.
Now that’s just inspirational and hereby bookmarked.
I haven’t had much luck with cakes requiring almond paste. Perhaps it’s the almond paste I’m getting. Oh well, the cranverry sauce is a good excuse to try again! :) Hope the little bub and you are doing just great!
I put this syrup tonight over my favorite rice pudding and my word, it was perfect. In case anyone is looking for additional ideas.
My very favorite cake of all time is an almond cake with red currants baked in it–probably much the same taste you’ve got going here. I’ve used financier recipes for this before, but I bet this would work great, too. I know red currants are hard to find in the states, but you should try ’em if you see them (probably in June?). They’re as tart as cranberries, but even more beautiful. And they freeze nicely, too.
I accidentally bought about a cup and a half of *unsweetened* dried cranberries when I was aiming for the lightly-sweetened kind that are perfect on top of spinach salads, and I was thinking about making some simple syrup to soak them in to rehydrate and sweeten them a bit.
That was yesterday, and this morning I saw this post – what perfect timing! I doubled the sugar and water and added the orange (tangelo, actually) zest with the cranberries. Instead of just waiting until the caramel melted, I let the berries simmer gently in the syrup for about ten minutes before straining them. Not only do I have plump, beautiful cranberries to munch on (or perhaps stir into some yogurt), but I have the added bonus of plenty of cranberry syrup to use for sodas! I love homemade grenadine and use that with seltzer on a regular basis; this will be a nice change of pace.
hi – do you think i could sub fresh squeezed orange juice for the sugar and water in the syrup for a more orangey flavor? my concern is the sauce wouldn’t thicken as well.
thanks!
Hi Cindy — The sugar makes a caramel, which orange juice will not. But play around and see if you can make the syrup to your tastes.
Wow, Deb. This is such a beautiful posting. The cake looks amazing and the syrup is gorgeous. I’m beginning to think that your photography could make mud pies look appetizing. I’m so going to make the cranberry syrup, and the strawberry rhubarb, and the almond cake, and the coulis….
I love all things cranberry and almond, they’re a perfect pair for sure!!!
This looks awesome! I love cranberry things – great flavor and al that vibrant color. I just whipped up some cranberry liqueur not too long ago, I may have to drag that out tonight for some cocktails!
I love what you’ve made. Especially eying the adorable springform pans you’ve got.
hi – i tried 3 T of orange zest and it was still a little light on zing for my tastes. next time i think i will add 1 T of fresh juice.
oh, yes, definitely, THIS looks spectacular.
They look great, your photos are fantastic, can’t wait to try them!
YUM!!! I made the almond cake and cranberry syrup yesterday to take to our Bible study grp. It was a hit!! I had a gorgeous crystal-pink cake stand to display it on which just added to the glory of it. :)
Your directions were so concise that I could not go wrong. It was very light and almond(ly).
I could not bear to toss out the cranberry pulp from the syrup so I spread it atop an English muffin with cream cheese this a.m. Very tasty I must say. Might sprinkle a little cinnamon sugar on it next time. :)
LOVE your blog!!
I just made the syrup but used blueberries. It came out delicious. I plan to use it on pancakes in the morning!!
i really liked this the night that i made it, but i toasted one of the little guys the next afternoon and i think it made it even better. i’ve also been trying to think of all the things i could spoon that sauce over. thanks!
Fantastic idea. I used to make my own kalua…similar idea there, but have lost the recipe.
Have you tried doing this with oranges added, as in the cranberry orange uncooked relish for turkey day? I love that one in a nice omlette, so this syrup sounds divine. Love your info and that brisket is so awesome. I use an ancient club aluminum dutch oven and it’s a winner every time.
I made the almond cake, and it was perfect. But my cranberry syrup is not so syrupy? It has the right color, but seems to have a more watery consistency than yours. Should I simmer longer?
And thanks for introducing me to a non-intimidating Thomas Keller recipe!
made this one evening for a bunch of girlfriends….can I just say crowd pleaser!! The almond cake is delicious and intense(perfect name) and the cranberry syrup was perfection!! thanks so much for the great recipe…this will be showing up in my kitchen again!
I have the opposite “problem” from Grace — I think I let it boil too long, activated the pectin in the cranberries, and have ended up with cranberry jam. Such a problem to have! I cleaned out the bowls with some bread and it was fabulous. Too bad I put it into bottles *before* it set… boiling time…
i made the almond cake in a 12-muffin pan and they are divine..and so pretty =)
i ate/gave away half of them even before making the cranberry sauce, which i am about to do now. Thanks so much for this one!!
I’m brand new to your site (literally, this afternoon) and kind of addicted…I’d be embarrassed to admit how much of your archives I’ve read in a day. :) Any thoughts on trying this with a slight boozy component? I’ve been staring at my roommate’s bottle of mango vodka on my counter for weeks now, and wondering. Thanks for the inspiration (and the photos)!!!
I was looking for a simple cranberry recipe to use as a topping for Panna Cotta. I used your recipe, but did not press through a sieve. I left most of the cranberries whole, but fork-smashed a few for variety. The syrup and berries were then drizzled over panna cotta ( http://origin-splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/dessert_pannacotta.html). My wife loves it, it was a big hit at the office pot luck, and it’s making a reprise at my brother’s birthday dinner.
Hi Deb! Would you say this makes about a cup? You’re the best!
Yikes, I completely do not remember but yes, that sounds to be a good estimate. If not a cup, just a little shy.
Thanks! Cranberry mimosas for all!
Yes! Fruit syrups are something to write about! And I made the best sour cherry syrup from the leftover juice from some tart charries that had been frozen (I was dehydrating them). 1/4 cup sugar to about 5 cups juice? I’m not certain how much juice there was. Then reduced to about 1/4 volume. OMG good! And the cherries dehydrated beautifully. I used the syrup to flavor my yogurt for months (I managed to eke it out). Now it’s gone and I’m very sad.
Looks good, nearly 11 years later, and I’m into cranberries right now. I like the idea of making little cakes and giving them away with a jar of the syrup.
The linked almond cake recipe says to use four miniature springform pans, but the photos above show five. Which? Thanks!