Mary Berry’s cranberry sauce is a glossy, sharp-sweet sauce of cranberries simmered with sugar, orange, port, cider vinegar and warm spices. It’s ready in about 20 minutes and serves 6, either warm or cold.
Berry calls it Scarlet Confit in her Christmas Collection (2013), and says: “This is my version of cranberry sauce – it is perfect with roast turkey or game.” The cider vinegar is what makes hers different. It gives the sauce a relish-like tang that cuts through rich meat.
The part people get wrong is when to stop cooking. Berry simmers it gently for just 10 to 15 minutes and warns: “Don’t worry if it looks a bit runny as it thickens when it cools.” If you keep cooking until it looks thick in the pan, it sets almost solid once cold.
Mary Berry Cranberry Sauce
Course: SidesCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy6
servings5
minutes10
minutes200
kcal20
minutesA one-pan Christmas sauce from Berry’s Christmas Collection (2013). You measure everything into the pan at once and simmer it. It keeps for 3 weeks in the fridge, so you can tick it off the list well before Christmas.
Ingredients
450g (1lb) fresh or frozen cranberries
225g (8oz) granulated sugar
finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
50ml (2fl oz) port
50ml (2fl oz) cider vinegar
a large pinch of ground allspice
a large pinch of ground cinnamon
Directions
- Measure: Measure all the ingredients into a shallow saucepan.
- Simmer: Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Don’t worry if it looks a bit runny, because it thickens as it cools.
- Serve: Serve warm or cold.
Notes
- (AGA): Cook uncovered in the Simmering Oven for about 1 hour.
FAQs
How far ahead can I make cranberry sauce?
Well ahead. Berry says to cook it and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, or freeze it for up to 3 months. I make ours in early December, so on Christmas Day it’s one less pan on the hob.
Can I use frozen cranberries?
Yes. Berry’s ingredient list says “fresh or frozen,” and you can tip them straight into the pan without thawing. Frozen berries take a minute or two longer to come to the boil, but the simmering time stays the same once they’re bubbling.
Does she have a simpler cranberry sauce?
She does. In her Complete Cookbook (2024), and in Kitchen Favourites, she simmers 500g cranberries in 125ml water for about 5 minutes, until they start to break down, then dissolves in 125g caster sugar. Two tablespoons of port go in just before serving. There are no spices and no vinegar, so it’s milder and fruitier than the Scarlet Confit.
Is there a no-cook version?
Yes, in Absolute Favourites (2015). She whizzes 225g raw cranberries in a food processor with 150g caster sugar, a whole quartered thin-skinned orange, mixed spice and nutmeg. She says it’s “very different from the bought variety in a jar,” keeps for a day in the fridge, and goes beautifully with cold meats, like a slice of her sausage and herb plait on Boxing Day.
What else can I serve it with?
Berry pairs the Scarlet Confit with roast turkey or game, but its tang works with anything rich. I like it with a cheeseboard, in leftover turkey sandwiches, and alongside her herbed mini sausage rolls at a Christmas party. Warm it gently if you want it spoonable rather than set.
