cranberry and juniper jelly recipe

I first ate this in St Petersburg ten years ago and loved its clean and aromatic taste, so I try to make it when cranberries are around every Christmas. It's excellent served with any cold meat or cheese.

for 2 small pots:

• 800g cranberries
• 6 juniper berries
• 250ml red wine
• 150g granulated sugar

Rinse the cranberries and put them into a saucepan with 250ml water and juniper berries. Simmer these for about 20 minutes until the fruit pops open and softens. Allow the fruit to drop through a jelly bag or muslin bag overnight.

Put the liquid into a medium-sized saucepan with the red wine and add the sugar. Place over a gentle heat to dissolve the sugar, and then bring to a rolling boil until the jelly reaches setting point. To test the setting point, remove the pan from the heat, put a teaspoonful of the jelly on to a cold saucer and put it into the fridge for a minute or two until cold. If you push the jelly with your finger and the surface wrinkles, it has reached setting point.

Pour into warm jars that have been sterilised by being boiled in a pan of water for 10 minutes or run through the dishwasher. Cover with a disc of waxed paper and seal while hot. Label and date the jars.

This jelly will last at least a year. Once opened, keep it in the fridge.

This recipe appears on p.26 of Sarah's Complete Christmas Food & Flowers.