Cranberry Conserve

Are you a cranberry jelly person out of a can or do you make your own sauce or conserve? I admit I could never get used to seeing the jelly slide out of the can to jiggle on the plate with the imprint of the can. Yuck! You can slice it all you want, but it was still not my cup of tea.

Big Guy and I were on a quest to find the perfect cranberry mix to complement our turkey and ham during the holiday season. We did not have to look far since we found the perfect recipe by Ina Garten. The conserve is made with cranberries, sugar, pecans, apple, orange and lemon zest and juice, and raisins.

The apples melt into a pectin base that holds it all together. My secret to the conserve is to add a little bit of calvados to the mix to elevate the fruit flavor in the conserve. I should make the obvious statement my cranberry conserve is for adults only!