Sweet Cherry Preserves
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen.
Halved sweet cherries are softened briefly with lemon juice, then set with low-sugar pectin and a fast 1-min boil, so the fruit keeps its shape in a soft, glossy jelly. Keep the jars in the fridge for up to 2 months, or process them in a boiling-water bath to store for up to a year.
Based on the listed ingredients, none of the 14 major EU allergens. Always check product labels.
Method
- 1
Heat the jars. Set a jar rack in a large deep pan, stand the four 250 ml jars on it and add water to cover them by 2.5 cm. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then turn off the heat and cover to keep the jars hot.
- 2
Soften the cherries. Mix 50 g of the sugar with the pectin in a small bowl. Bring the cherries and lemon juice to the boil in a large flameproof casserole over medium-high heat, stirring often. Turn the heat down to medium, cover and simmer, stirring now and then, until the cherries soften and release some juice, about 3 min.
- 3
Boil with the pectin and sugar. Bring the cherries to the boil over high heat. Whisk in the sugar and pectin mixture and bring back to the boil. Whisk in the remaining 550 g sugar and bring to a vigorous, rolling boil that you can't stir down. Boil for exactly 1 min, whisking constantly, then take the pot off the heat and skim off any foam with a spoon.
- 4
Fill the jars. Lay a clean tea towel flat on the worktop. Lift the jars out of the pot with a jar lifter, tipping the water back into the pot, and stand them upside down on the towel to dry for 1 min. Using a funnel and ladle, fill the hot jars with the hot preserves, leaving 6 mm of headspace. Run a wooden skewer down the inside of each jar and draw it upwards to release air bubbles.
- 5
To keep in the fridge. Leave the jars to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until set, 12-24 h.
- 6
To process for the cupboard. While the jars are still hot, wipe the rims clean, put on the lids and screw on the bands until just fingertip-tight. Bring the pot of water back to the boil, lower in the jars on the rack, cover and bring back to the boil before starting the timer. Boil for 10 min up to 305 m above sea level, 15 min at 306-914 m, 20 min at 915-1,829 m or 25 min at 1,830-2,438 m. Turn off the heat and leave the jars in the pot for 5 min, then lift them out and leave to cool undisturbed for 24 h. Remove the bands, check the seals and wipe the rims.
Storage
Unprocessed jars: refrigerate for up to 2 months. Processed jars with a good seal: store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year; refrigerate once opened.
EU nutrition claims
- Low fat: 0.3 g fat per 100 g (limit ≤ 3 g)
- Low saturated fat: 0 g saturated fat per 100 g, 0% of energy (limits ≤ 1.5 g and ≤ 10%)
- Low salt: 0 g salt per 100 g (limit ≤ 0.3 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 34 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
18.7 g per serving
37.4 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 74.8 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- large deep pan with a jar rack
- four 250 ml preserving jars with new lids and screw bands
- large flameproof casserole
- small bowl
- whisk
- metal spoon
- clean tea towel
- jar lifter
- wide-mouth jam funnel
- ladle
- wooden skewer
- cherry stoner (optional)
Nutrition per serving Calculated from USDA FoodData Central
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 93 kcal |
| Protein | 0.3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 24 g |
| of which sugars | 22.4 g |
| of which free sugars | 18.7 g |
| Fat | 0.1 g |
| of which saturates | 0 g |
| Fibre | 0.7 g |
| Salt | 0 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
0.3 g High Protein needs ≥ 5 g (20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
