Preserved Cherries, here on some Risalamande.
2020 has been a strange year, we all had to adapt and have to live without a lot of things we take for granted. A lot of parties and gatherings were canceled, friends and loved ones we couldn’t hug. Personally I was going to have a big party for my fiftieth birthday, with friends and families from Denmark coming here to celebrate. I don’t think I have to tell, that didn’t happen. I hope to postpone the party, and I’ll stay 49 until that happens.
I think 2020 also became the year, a lot of people learned to bake sourdough bread, that is one of the good things to come out of the pandemic.
Now we are getting close to my favorite time of the year - Christmas. I love all the lights and decorations, all the treats and cookies. I hope this holiday season will bring you a lot of joy too, even though we have to do some thing’s differently, let’s make this December extra special.
On this first Sunday in Advent I want to share these preserved cherries with you.
Growing up I was accustomed to my moms homemade everything. But even she slacked and started buying things, to make her life easier. But some tings remain in your memory as the best and real taste of something. Preserved cherries comes to mind. We had a cherry tree in our allotment (kolonihave), filled with dark tart cherries. Cherries you wouldn’t steal of the tree as a kid, or you would only do it once. But my mom made the best preserved cherries, perfect for the traditional Danish Christmas dessert Risalamande. She even cracked the pits from the cherries and put the kernels in the preserving syrup, giving it a strong almond taste. This was the real taste of Christmas. And this was the taste I rediscovered after making these preserved cherries for the very first time.
Makes 4 jars.
Ingredients:
680 g pitted tart cherries, I used frozen
525 g sugar
50 ml water
50 ml amaretto liquor
40 ml vinegar
1 vanilla bean
Directions:
Split open the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds out. Spread the seeds in some of the sugar, this helps with distribution of the seeds.
In a large pot add water, sugar, vinegar, amaretto, vanilla bean (seeds and pod), cherries, and warm it up slowly until it starts to boil lightly. Remove pot from the heat, and set it aside to cool and marinate for a few hours.
Prepare the jars and lids, scolding them and swirl some 100 proof vodka in them, set aside.
Bring the cherries to a boil, remove from heat, and bring them to a boil again, do that one more time, and scoop the cherries into the 4 prepared jars. Bring the liquid to a boil again, and let it boil and reduce for 5-7 minutes, before pouring over the cherries. Close jars and let then cool. Clean the outside of the jars and place them in a cool and dark place for about 20-30 days fore serving.
The preserved cherries will keep 3-5 months in a cool dark place and about 20 days opened.
Serve the prepared cherries on Risalamande, ice cream or other desserts or cakes. The syrup taste fantastic diluted with water or in drinks.
Enjoy!