Pickled Cherries

Pickled Cherries © kvalifood.com

Pickled cherries are a classic preserve with many uses — for cherry sauce, cake decoration, and as a dessert. What sets this recipe apart is the use of the cherry kernels from the pits, which give a faint, natural almond flavour to the preserve.

Ingredients

Yields 4–5 jars

  • 1 kg sour cherries
  • 7 dl sugar
  • 1 tsp preserving liquid

Directions

Preparation

Pit the cherries. Spread the pits on a baking tray and dry them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10–15 minutes. Take them out and crush them between two layers of paper with a meat mallet. Pick the kernels free of the shells.

Preserving

Combine the cherries, sugar, and the freed kernels in a pot and let them sit for 2 hours so the sugar begins to dissolve.

Cooking

Heat the mixture slowly and keep it just below the boiling point for about 10 minutes, stirring gently.

Finishing

Remove the pot from the heat and skim the surface. Stir in the preserving liquid and pour the preserve into clean, scalded jars. Seal immediately.

Notes

  • Add 100–150 ml rum or kirsch after skimming, before pouring into jars, for a dessert version
  • Used classically for cherry sauce, cake decoration, and with rice pudding (risalamande)
  • Many modern recipes use a vanilla pod instead of the kernels — a different but equally nice flavour variation
  • Store in a cool place; keeps up to 1 year unopened