You haven’t truly lived until you’ve stained your fingers red while pitting a mountain of cherries and questioned your life choices halfway through. Welcome to the magical world of cherry preserve - where sugar meets soul, and one spoon can take you straight back to your mom’s kitchen.
Cherry preserve isn’t jam. This is VIP treatment in a spoon. You can also use it freely in cakes, desserts, crepes, pancakes and as a topping.
Check out video at the end of this recipe.
đź“ť Ingredients:
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1 kg pitted cherries (ripe, but not overripe – respect the cherry)
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1 kg sugar
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1/2 lemon (sliced into thin rounds)
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1 packet vanilla sugar or 1 tsp vanilla extract
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optional: cherry or loquat leaves for aroma (if you know, you know)
👩🍳 Preparation:
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Pit the cherries without turning them into pulp. Use a hairpin, a cherry pitter, or just old-school patience.
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Layer them in a deep pot: one layer of cherries, one layer of sugar. Repeat until everything’s in. Cover with a clean towel and let it sit for 5–6 hours (or overnight if you're lazy, like me).
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Cook without stirring. Yes, don’t stir with a spoon – gently shake the pot from time to time. Let it boil on medium heat.
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Skim the foam when it forms. That’s the secret to a clear syrup. If you’re skipping this step, just go buy a jar from the store.
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When it thickens, test the syrup: drop a bit on a cold plate – if the drop holds its shape and doesn’t spread, it’s ready.
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Add vanilla and lemon slices, give it one final boil (2–3 minutes), and turn off the heat.
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Pour hot into sterilized jars, seal tight, and flip them upside down for 5 minutes. Then let them cool normally.
🍽️ Serving suggestion:
One small spoon in a porcelain dish. Serve with cold water. Optional: impress a foreign friend and pretend you made it with your bare hands during a mountain retreat.
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