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Chocolate Covered Cranberry Sauce

Chocolate covered cranberry sauce with glossy dark chocolate swirled into thick, jammy cranberry fruit. Simmer fresh cranberries until they burst, then melt in chopped chocolate for a rich, spoonable topping.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberries
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries Use fresh cranberries.
Sugar and liquid base
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 0.75 cup water
  • 0.25 cup orange juice
Chocolate and flavorings
  • 3 oz dark chocolate (60-70%), chopped Chopped for easy melting.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt Pinch of salt to balance sweetness.
Garnish
  • 1 Dark chocolate shavings For topping before serving.

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Cook the cranberry sauce
  1. Bring sugar, water, and orange juice to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, then keep it at a steady boil. You should see active bubbling across the surface.
  2. Add fresh cranberries and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the berries burst and the sauce thickens. Watch for the mixture turning jammy with softened cranberries and reduced liquid.
Swirl in chocolate and chill
  1. Remove from heat and stir in chopped dark chocolate, vanilla extract, and salt until fully melted and glossy. The sauce should look smooth and shiny with no visible chocolate pieces.
  2. Cool to room temperature, then chill until set. The sauce will thicken further and look spoonable after chilling.
  3. Top with dark chocolate shavings just before serving. Serve as-is with turkey, or spoon over cheesecake or ice cream.

Notes

Pro tip: Chop the dark chocolate small so it melts quickly off the heat for a glossy finish. Refrigerate in a covered container up to 5 days; freeze not recommended because the texture can change after thawing. For a lighter option, use reduced-sugar dark chocolate and slightly reduce the sugar to taste.