Making the Cranberry Sauce Samples
Using the masking tape and pen, label the ramekins (or other small, heat-resistant containers) as follows: 3 minutes, 6 minutes, 9 minutes, 12 minutes, and 15 minutes.
Pour two packages (6 cups) of cranberries (already thawed, if you are using frozen cranberries) into the colander. Rinse the cranberries, throw away any that are squishy rather than firm, drain thoroughly, and set them aside.
Add 2 cups of water and 2 cups of sugar to the pot.
If the candy thermometer has a clip, attach the thermometer to the side of the pot. If not, set aside the thermometer until step 8.
Have the adult helper place the pot of water and sugar on a stovetop burner. Adjust the burner to medium-high heat. Note: From this point on, we recommend that the adult helper stirs the mixture in the pot while you supervise, keep track of the time, and record observations in your lab notebook.
Stir the water and sugar mixture until all the sugar is dissolved.
Add the cranberries, as shown in Figure 2, below, and stir occasionally. After a couple of minutes, you will hear and see the cranberries popping open.