Directions
- Place cranberries, sugar, orange juice and orange peel in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until the cranberries pop and soften and begin to come together, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a fine strainer over a bowl and press the liquid through with the back of a spatula or spoon. Discard the pulp.
- Whisk the butter into the cranberry liquid until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, beat eggs and egg yolks lightly. Whisk ½ of the warm cranberry liquid into the egg in a slow drizzle, to temper. Once combined, add the remaining cranberry liquid and whisk.
- Wipe any leftover pulp out of the saucepan and return the cranberry and egg mixture to the pot. Cook over low heat until thickened, about 10-15 minutes.
- Let cool to room temperature before using (it will continue to thicken and set) or make ahead and store in the refrigerator.
- Use to fill a gluten free hazelnut tart shell or keep in a jar to serve aside roasted pears, with fresh fruit, or by itself as a small spoonful of delicious tartness aside roasted duck or turkey.
Health Benefits
It’s no breaking news that cranberries are great for urinary tract health—but we know much more now about why, and how the cranberry can help the whole body. Cranberries contain proanthocyanidins (PACs), which have anti-adhesive properties, physically preventing bacteria from sticking and multiplying. These PACs are structurally different from those found in other fruits and vegetables, making this an extremely unique property of the berry. Other calories coming from cranberries are still extremely nutrient dense, offering a power pack of benefits. The benefits of the PACs translate to other areas of the body as well—cranberries can even prevent gross bugs like Streptococcus from sticking in the mouth! Odds are, if there is something that shouldn’t be in the body, cranberries have a way of either sloughing it off, preventing its camping out, or making its environment inhospitable, so eat up!
