Cherry Preserves

Today we will bring you a recipe for cherry preserve, which is quick and simple to make.

Ștefan Baciu, 20.06.2015, 14:11

For the preserve, you need 2 kilos of pitted cherries and 2 kilos of sugar. If the cherries are sweet you can reduce the amount of sugar to 1.5 kilos. You also need the juice of two lemons. Put the pitted cherries in a stockpot, cover them with sugar and leave in the fridge for 2-3 hours, for the fruit to leave juice. Add the lemon juice in the stockpot and place over a small heat. Stir from time to time, then turn the heat up to bring the cherries to a boil, then skim any foam that floats to the surface.

All this time keep the stockpot on the heat until the composition becomes viscous, then perform a gel test by placing a teaspoonful of cherry preserve on a plate. Wait until it cools and nudge the edge of the jam with one finger. If the jam is ready it will wrinkle slightly when pushed. Once the jam has gelled properly remove the stockpot from heat. Pour the jam in jars filling to within ¼ inch of the rim. Place lids on the filled jars, place the jars in a pot filled with water and bring the water to a boil. Process jars in the boiling water for 10 minutes, then let to cool. Let jars stand for 24 hours.

A special delicacy is the bitter cherry preserve. Unlike the sweet cherries, the bitter cherries are smaller and have a slightly sour-bitter taste. Bitter cherries have a high level of antioxidants and are best for harvesting in June. The recipe for bitter cherry preserve is similar to that for the other types of cherries. Enjoy!