Cranberry Wine Mold
Submitted by richelle
Cranberry wine gelatin mold with fresh cranberries simmered in red wine, set with raspberry gelatin, and studded with chopped walnuts. A jewel-toned holiday side or dessert.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
5 minREADY
9 hrsThis cranberry wine mold is one of those retro dishes that earns its place at a holiday table year after year. Fresh cranberries simmered in red wine and sugar until they burst, then set with raspberry-flavored gelatin and studded with chopped walnuts for crunch.
The wine and cranberries cook together for just five minutes. You want the berries to pop open and release their juices, but not dissolve completely. Some whole berry pieces in the finished mold give it texture and a more interesting look when sliced.
Stirring the gelatin into the hot cranberry mixture dissolves it completely without any blooming step. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes, stirring several times, until the mixture turns syrupy before folding in the walnuts. If you add the nuts while the gelatin is still liquid, they sink straight to the bottom.
Four hours in the fridge sets it firm enough to unmold cleanly.
Pro Tips
- Dip the mold in hot water for exactly 30 seconds before inverting. Too long and the surface melts; too short and it won’t release.
- Run a thin knife around the edge before dipping to break the seal.
- Stir the gelatin mixture every 10 minutes in the freezer. Uneven chilling creates lumps and an inconsistent set.
Variations
- Use port wine instead of red wine for a sweeter, more concentrated flavor.
- Fold in diced celery along with the walnuts for a savory-sweet salad version.
- Substitute pecans for walnuts for a buttery, Southern-style twist.
Ingredients
Directions
Rinse the cranberries in a strainer and remove any stems.
Place the berries in a large sauce pan.
Add the sugar, wine and water to the sauce pan and stir to blend.
Bring to boiling over medium heat.
Lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes, or until the berries burst.
Remove the sauce pan from the heat and stir in the raspberry-flavored gelatin until the gelatin dissolves.
Place the sauce pan in the freezer and chill, stirring several times, for 30 minutes, or until the gelatin becomes syrupy.
Fold the chopped walnuts into the gelatin mixture until well-blended.
Pour into an 8-cup mold or deep bowl.
Refrigerate for four hours or overnight.
To unmold, run a thin-blade knife around the edge of the mold.
Dip the mold into a pan of hot water for 30 seconds.
Invert the mold onto the serving plate.
Return the gelatin to the refrigerator until serving time.
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