(Simple) Cranberry Simple Syrup

    Cranberry Simple Syrup, is the cranberry version of "Simple Syrup", which is a staple of every cocktail bar and a wonderful way to sweeten ice tea too. I think it should more accurately be called Simple Cranberry Simple Syrup, because it is easy to make, but the redundancy is a bit much.

    Pour a splash of this syrup in a glass of champagne to make a Cranberry Champagne Cocktail. Mix a little syrup club with soda or lemon~lime soda and garnish with a lime wheel to make a sparkling non-alcoholic drink. Fill a glass with ice, pour in a shot of Vodka, a little Triple Sec or Sweet & Sour mix, a splash of Cranberry Simple Syrup and a generous squeeze of lime...very Cosmopolitan!

     Makes about 2 cups of syrup

• 1 12 oz. bag of fresh or frozen cranberries (3 cups)
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar 

1.) Rinse cranberries and pick through them, discarding any that look old. Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.

2.) Reduce heat to low and simmer until cranberries have all burst, about 15 minutes.

3.) Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl and let the strainer sit over the bowl until the

syrup has cooled to room temperature, about 1 hour.

4.) Either discard the cranberry solids into your compost, or use them in another recipe. At this point they are still pretty tart.

5.) Refrigerate the syrup in a sealed bottle or other container with a tight fitting lid for up to 2 weeks.

Note: If you plan to use this for cocktails, you can add an ounce of vodka or grain alcohol to the syrup and it will act as a preservative, allowing you to store it for months.

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