Hi Chris,
I made cherry conserve last year - scrummy! My cherries are Morello - the Stella cherry tree had very few fruits.
Black cherry conserve:
Black cherries are deficient in pectin and acid so redcurrant juice is added to obtain a satisfactory set; it also provides additional flavour.
625g black cherries, stoned : 500g sugar : 150ml water : 500g redcurrants : 3 tblspns brandy
Place cherries in basin. Put sugar and water in a pan and heat gently, stirring until dissolved, then bring to the boil. Pour immediately over the cherries, cover and leave for 24 hours.
Cook redcurrants in just enough water to prevent them sticking, until soft. Mash and strain through a nylon jelly bag; there should be 150ml.
Transfer the cherries and juice to a pan. Add redcurrant juice and bring to the boil.
Simmer for 10 minutes or until cherries are soft.
Transfer to hot sterilised jars, using a slotted spoon.
Boil the juice until setting point is reached, then skim of any scum. (I added a small amount of butter to help prevent scum forming - BS)
Stir in the brandy, if using.
Pour over the cherries and cover.
Makes about 1 - 1.25 kg (2 - 2.5 lbs)
Hope this is suitable.
We love a sour cherry jam from Hungary that Fiona buys on her rare forays to the cheap food store in Cambridge, 16 miles away. It is absolutely gorgeous, and as good as great marmalade on your morning toast. I cannot recall the brand but next time I will.
We do not get cherries in these parts. Swaps can be arranged, Chris!
Never knowingly underfed
Many thanks for the recipe. Sounds just what I was looking for, I will certainly be adding Brandy !! Can you tell me, is it possible to do this using the whole fruit method like I do with plums or am I going to have to used forced labour (the grandchildren) to stone them and suffer the usual high level of stock losses in the process, which is what I fear !!?
I have reached an age where my train of thought often leaves the station without me...
I imagine, Chris, that it's up to you whether you have the cherry stones in your conserve - I would think that it's better without the stones .......... (especially if children enjoy it)
You'll be glad with the result, I believe, but suffer the high stock loss .
Can I just add to this ....... when I made mine, I had quite a large amount of juice compared to fruitflesh, and ended up with two tall jars of juice only, which daughter confirms is glorious on pancakes or waffles - I imagine on ice cream too.
VAL: Many thanks your further info. Just one further question (for now!) if I use Jam Sugar will I be able to use less and maybe get closer to a bitter cherry jam/conserve do you know ? Or would adding lemon juice to the mix achieve that or do you have any other ideas please ? Many thanks etc. chris
I have reached an age where my train of thought often leaves the station without me...
I have often found that if reducing the sugar, it will take longer to set - it may even turn to 'glue' - unfortunately that happened last year to my gooseberry conserve - but was saved by re-heating with some real apple juice.
So I think, if anything, the lemon juice would be a better option (or unsweetened Bramley apple juice!), to give it the tang you're hoping for.
Or, maybe adding Certo, for the pectin content, to help set the conserve.
Perhaps others may have some suggestions for you.
Sorry I can't be more helpful......
Well, I finally made my first batch of Cherry Jam, I put quite a lot of lemon juice and also actually added a lemon to the mix, however inspite of that it has, for me, turned out too sweet - I used jam sugar as this had added pectin but I think by the time it got to setting point the sugar content was too high although everybody else seems to love it. Fortunately I only made a small batch as a trial which I have given away provoking requests to make some more. I have now bought a bottle of Certo and am going to have a second shot, if it turns out a little sour then I will like it but maybe others wont, who knows. Incidentally I gave my jam thermometer it's first airing, what a boon that is, no more rushing between cauldron and cooled plate just wait till the temperature is reached and bingo you are there. Also, because I am male I did not realise you could get a nifty (and cheap) device for stoning cherries (and olives) however fortunately before I started I stumbled on that bit of knowledge (somebody could have told me!!) and my earlier worries about stock losses as the grandchildren helped de-stone the cherries was unneccessary as they were not interested in what looked to them a rather boring job. Oh and I also added brandy to the jam, not sure how much as I kept slurping it in until it tasted about right, albeit sweet. Let you know anon how batch 2 turns out. Cheers all.
I have reached an age where my train of thought often leaves the station without me...
My jam thermometer doesn't seem to be much use, don't know why, I try and judge it more by the look of the boil which is not terribly useful when trying to explain something to someone else . Maybe what you need to do Chris is a Cherry butter (scroll right the way down) which is more fruit than sugar but doesn't keep so well once opened. I don't stone fruit before putting them in the pot, I just boil up the fruit first ie damsons and then scoop out the stones as they come to the boil, not sure if that doesn't actually help the setting point.
I love sour cherry jam, Chris. Somebody gave us a jar of Hungarian sour cherry jam and it was blooming gorgeous. I believe those cherries only grow on mainland Europe and I think they are a springtime crop. Where is Andy in Budapest when you need him!
No - I remember now - she bought it in that excellent Daily Bread Cambridge Christian co-op store in Kings Hedges. Overdue a trip back there to restock on basics like rice and lentils. Great prices, mostly.
i mentioned in another post that Asda are offering 2 for 1 stoned morellos. Well worth picking up some if you have a store close by.
Never knowingly underfed
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