Cranberry Ice Water (Eau de Cranberges)

Ingredients

• 0.5 pound (approximately 225 g) cranberries (Fresh or frozen cranberries both work well. No need to thaw if using frozen.)
• 8 ounces (approximately 225 g) sugar (White granulated sugar. This sweetens and helps break down the cranberries during cooking.)
• 2 oranges' worth of peel peel of oranges (Use a vegetable peeler to remove wide strips of peel, avoiding the white pith underneath as much as possible. The peel is used for flavouring and removed when straining.)
• 2 lemons' worth of peel peel of lemons (As with the orange peel, use a vegetable peeler to take wide strips of peel, avoiding the bitter white pith. The same lemons will be juiced in step 2.)
• 0.5 pint (approximately 285 ml) water (for cooking) (Plain cold water used to cook the cranberries.)
• 2 lemons' worth of juice juice of lemons (Juice the same 2 lemons after peeling them. Strain out any pips before adding.)
• 2 oranges' worth of juice juice of oranges (Juice the same 2 oranges after peeling them. Strain out any pips before adding.)
• 3 sheets (use 2 for a lighter set, 3 for a firmer texture) gelatine sheets (Use standard leaf gelatine (platinum or gold grade). Marshall's gelatine was a proprietary product; modern leaf gelatine is the closest equivalent. Soak briefly in cold water before adding to the hot mixture to dissolve.)
• 1 small drop or a tiny pinch carmine (red food colouring) (Carmine is a deep red food colouring. Use a modern red food colouring gel or liquid as a direct substitute. Add sparingly — just enough to deepen the natural red of the cranberries to a vivid colour. This is purely decorative and optional if preferred.)
• 1 pint (approximately 570 ml) water, slightly sweetened (To sweeten lightly, stir in a small amount of sugar (just enough to take the edge off the plain water — a teaspoon or two is sufficient) and stir until dissolved before using.)

Instructions

1. 1Before you begin cooking, prepare your citrus. Using a vegetable peeler, carefully peel wide strips of zest from 2 oranges and 2 lemons, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible (pith makes the flavour bitter). Set the peel strips aside. Then juice all 4 fruits into a small bowl, straining out any pips. Set the juice aside — you will need it in step 3.
2. 2Place the cranberries, sugar, orange peel strips, lemon peel strips, and the half pint (285 ml) of water into a medium saucepan. Set over a medium heat and stir gently to help the sugar begin to dissolve. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15–20 minutes, or until the cranberries have completely burst and broken down into a soft, pulpy mixture. The liquid should look deep red and syrupy. Do not let it boil too hard or the mixture may catch on the bottom — keep it at a steady gentle simmer.
3. 3Remove the saucepan from the heat. First, soak your 2 or 3 gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes until soft and floppy. While the gelatine soaks, stir the reserved lemon juice and orange juice into the hot cranberry mixture. Lift the softened gelatine sheets out of the cold water, squeeze out the excess water gently with your hands, and add them directly to the hot cranberry mixture. Stir well until the gelatine has completely dissolved — there should be no visible pieces remaining. Add a tiny drop or pinch of carmine (or red food colouring) and stir to deepen the colour to a vivid deep red. Taste the mixture — it should be tart and fragrant.
4. 4Set a fine-mesh sieve or a piece of muslin cloth over a large bowl. Pour the cranberry mixture through it, pressing down firmly on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid and pulp as possible. Discard the leftover skins, peel strips, and any remaining seeds or solids. You should be left with a smooth, deep red cranberry pulp liquid in the bowl. This straining step is what the original recipe calls 'passing through the tammy' — a tammy cloth was a fine-woven straining cloth used in Victorian kitchens. A modern fine-mesh sieve works perfectly. Allow the strained pulp to cool to room temperature.
5. 5Measure out half a pint (approximately 285 ml) of the strained cranberry pulp you have just made. In a separate large bowl or jug, take 1 pint (570 ml) of water and stir in just a small amount of sugar — about 1 to 2 teaspoons — until dissolved. This is your 'slightly sweetened water'. Pour the half pint of cranberry pulp into the sweetened water and stir well to combine fully. The resulting liquid should be a bright, translucent red, lighter than the pulp on its own but still beautifully coloured and flavoured. Note: any remaining cranberry pulp beyond the half pint used here is not needed for this recipe.
6. 6Pour the combined cranberry water mixture into your ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft, slushy, sorbet-like consistency — usually around 20–30 minutes. Transfer to a freezer-safe container, smooth the top, cover tightly, and freeze for at least 2 hours until fully set. If you do not have an ice cream machine, pour the mixture into a shallow freezer-safe tray and place in the freezer. Every 30 minutes for the first 2–3 hours, remove the tray and vigorously stir or scrape the mixture with a fork to break up ice crystals forming at the edges, pushing them into the centre. Repeat until the mixture is uniformly frozen and granular in texture, like a granita. Serve in small chilled glasses or bowls.