Cherry Preserves
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Select ripe cherries, discarding any bruised or overripe ones.
In a pot, combine the stoned cherries and sugar.
Cook
Stir occasionally until the mixture boils, then stir continuously.
Boil for 45 minutes.
To test for setting, place a small amount on a cold plate; if it sets, pour into jars.
If it doesn't set, continue boiling until it does.
Jar and store
Let the jars cool in a dry place, then cover for storage.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Cherries
- Provide the fruit flavour and body, breaking down into the thick, spreadable base.
- Sugar
- Sweetens and, with the fruit's natural pectin, helps the mixture thicken and set as it cooks.
The step that matters
Testing for set. As water evaporates, the sugar concentrates and the fruit's pectin and acids form a gel. Pouring off too early leaves runny preserves, while overcooking makes them stiff and tight.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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