Serve cranberry sauce at room temp-The Cooking Light recipe was originally part of a leftover feature, so it uses 1/2 cup of leftover whole-berry cranberry sauce, but the recipe can also serve double-duty when made ahead. Make the Cranberry Sauce (from the back of the Ocean Spray fresh cranberry bag) today, then use 1/2 cup of the sauce to make the liqueur for the Cranberry Kir Royale. Serve the remaining sauce as a side to the turkey. When your guests arrive, strain the liqueur and add Prosecco.
Shopping tip: Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine that is crisp and has apple notes that are perfect with fall dishes.
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The inspiration: I am a fan of the Kir Royale at Le Fou Frog.
A flute of bubbly is a festive way to welcome the start of the holiday season. I’ve long been partial to the classic French Kir Royale cocktail featuring cassis, a black-currant liqueur, or Framboise liqueur. This recipe is from the November 2010 issue of Cooking Light and caught my eye because it uses a homemade cranberry liqueur instead of Cassis.
Cranberry Kir Royale
Makes 8 servings
Sauce:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
Liqueur:
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup Cranberry Sauce
3/4 cup vodka
4 cups dry Prosecco or sparkling white wine, chilled
For the sauce: Bring 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add cranberries and return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to pop. Pour sauce into a bowl, cover and cool completely to room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time. You should have 2 1/4 cups cranberry sauce; divide out 1/2 cup, and reserve the rest until serving.
For the liqueur: Combine 1/4 cup water and 3 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir in 1/2 cup Cranberry Sauce. Let cool. Stir in vodka; pour mixture into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate four days.
Strain mixture through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a small jar; discard solids. Cover jar with an airtight lid; chill until ready to use.
To serve the cocktails: Spoon 2 tablespoons Cranberry Liqueur into each of 8 champagne flutes. Top each with 1/2 cup wine. Serve immediately.
Per serving, Cranberry Sauce only: 122 calories (1 percent from fat), trace total fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 30 grams carbohydrates, trace protein, 2 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.
Per serving (with liqueur): 173 calories (1 percent from fat), trace total fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 12 grams carbohydrates, trace protein, 7 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber.
Shopping tip: Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine that is crisp and has apple notes that are perfect with fall dishes.
More information
The inspiration: I am a fan of the Kir Royale at Le Fou Frog.
A flute of bubbly is a festive way to welcome the start of the holiday season. I’ve long been partial to the classic French Kir Royale cocktail featuring cassis, a black-currant liqueur, or Framboise liqueur. This recipe is from the November 2010 issue of Cooking Light and caught my eye because it uses a homemade cranberry liqueur instead of Cassis.
Cranberry Kir Royale
Makes 8 servings
Sauce:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
Liqueur:
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup Cranberry Sauce
3/4 cup vodka
4 cups dry Prosecco or sparkling white wine, chilled
For the sauce: Bring 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add cranberries and return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to pop. Pour sauce into a bowl, cover and cool completely to room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time. You should have 2 1/4 cups cranberry sauce; divide out 1/2 cup, and reserve the rest until serving.
For the liqueur: Combine 1/4 cup water and 3 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir in 1/2 cup Cranberry Sauce. Let cool. Stir in vodka; pour mixture into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate four days.
Strain mixture through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a small jar; discard solids. Cover jar with an airtight lid; chill until ready to use.
To serve the cocktails: Spoon 2 tablespoons Cranberry Liqueur into each of 8 champagne flutes. Top each with 1/2 cup wine. Serve immediately.
Per serving, Cranberry Sauce only: 122 calories (1 percent from fat), trace total fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 30 grams carbohydrates, trace protein, 2 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.
Per serving (with liqueur): 173 calories (1 percent from fat), trace total fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 12 grams carbohydrates, trace protein, 7 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber.