Preserving Cherries

So it is that time of the year that the garden starts giving me the challenge of what to do with the fruit it is busily producing. This is the first year we have managed to get anything off the cherry tree. So pleased but struggled to find a way to use them all up. So I decided to try the recipe from Tori Avey. I found the following:

• This recipe was way too sweet for  me
• De-steming before doing this meant the cherries went black at that point very quickly, don't destem until ready to make the preserve (read this to find out how to stop the discolouring happening, this is also useful as cherries go a funny colour as you pit them)
• It takes an age to cut stones out of the cherries
• It takes longer to create the syrup than she states
• Cherries stain your hands when destoning with a knife
• 2lb makes just about two jars of preserved cherries
• This recipe had a lot of left over liquid even after additional reduction process.

Ingredients

• 2lb cherries - before stoning and steming
• 2 cups of sugar
• 4 cups of water

Methodology

• Put the water and sugar mix on the stove to boil
• Whilst mix is boiling pit the cherries
• When the mix is like a thin syrup - thicker than water, but not quite like honey - add cherries
• Bring back to a boil
• Simmer for 30 mins, in an open pan
• Check the liquid - it should have reduced to around 2 cup by this point. You may not use all the liquid in the jars.
• Allow to cool in the pan
• Add to sterilised jars - cover fruit with the syrup, leaving 1/2 inch at the top
• Keep in the fridge