Ben’s cranberry candy

Photo coming

Cranberries	2 cups
Orange zest, grated	1 ½ tablespoons
Orange juice	¾ cup
Gelatin, unflavored	3 envelopes
Sugar, granulated	1 ½ cups
Walnuts, chopped (optional)	1 cup
Sugar, powdered

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, zest, and juice. 
2. Cover, and cook over medium-high heat until the cranberries soften and crack open, about 15 minutes; let cool. 
3. In batches, purée the mixture, and then press through a sieve; discard solids. 
4. Return purée to a clean pan. 
5. Stir together the gelatin and sugar, add to the purée, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. 
6. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring until you can see the pan’s bottom for a full second after the spoon is drawn across it, about 10 to 20 minutes. 
7. Remove from heat, and stir in the walnuts, if using. 
8. Spread the mixture evenly in a well-greased 5-by-9-inch loaf pan; let stand, uncovered, for at least 8 hours. 
9. Cut into 1-inch squares, and roll in powdered sugar to keep them from sticking to each other. 

Yield: 45 pieces.
Recipe from friend and cook extraordinaire Ben.