Cranberries are naturally full of pectin, and when we blend the jellied sauce, we create a fluid gel—albeit a weak one. A little xanthan gum thickens it, stabilizing the gel and giving it a smoother mouthfeel.

What you’ll need

• 1 can cranberry sauce
• Sugar
• Malic acid
• Xanthan gum
• Blender

Preparation

1. Place cranberry sauce in a blender.
2. Blend on high until smooth.
3. Add 10 percent sugar, 1 percent malic acid, and 0.1 percent xanthan gum.
4. Pour gel into a squeeze bottle.

Cook’s Notes

Use gel to garnish your cheesecake or pancakes. It’s also a great tool for entertaining the young ones—just place a bottle on the kids’ table and tell them they can draw on their plates. (Disclaimer: We cannot be responsible for any fluid gel that winds up on the ceiling.)