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Having problems making my cranberries hold shape in gel mold?
Answer:
In order for cranberries to form a gel you need 1) pectin, 2) sugar, 3) acid. Because we're talking about a natural commodity, we can't always be sure how much pectin is in the cranberries, or how much water, which will dilute the pectin.
Pectin:
The pectin is in the skins, the cell walls, and between the cells, so you need to simmer the cranberries for quite some time in order to dissolve all of the pectin out of the cells and into the liquidy part. I'd say at least 20 - 25 minutes of a low simmer. Let the cranberries heat up and pop open first, then add the sugar and simmer. Gelatin will break down at boiling temps, so if she's getting any gel at all after adding gelatin and boiling, it's still likely due to the pectin that is in there. If she quarters an orange and simmers the orange with the cranberries, the pectin in the orange skins will add to the total pectin amount. Then just scoop the oranges out and throw them away.
Sugar:
It depends upon how strong you want the gel. Cranberries will gel at about 30% sugar (You see, they need to grab all of the water away from the pectin so that the pectin molecules can bond with each other, instead of the water.) The gel will become stronger and stronger the more sugar you add. So, if this year the cranberries have a lot of water (and they probably do because of all the summer rain we had) you'll need more sugar.
How to tell how much more sugar you need? If your grandmother has a candy thermometer, she should let it reach about about 220F, this will let her know that there's enough sugar in there.
Acid:
Cranberries usually have enough natural acid, and you don't need to add any more, but maybe a bit of lemon juice will ensure that you have enough acid.
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