Cherries, Cherries, Cherries: Cherry Syrup

Project Cherry, Day 2.   I made cherry syrup, which used almost five pounds of fruit.  It also meant I used the dreaded cherry pitter again.  But, it was worth the effort when the syrup was made and bottled. I love the sight of cherry, pomegranate, or raspberry syrup drizzled over ice cream, pancakes, or Greek yogurt.  Food should please the eye, as well as the taste buds, and a ribbon of bright red syrup usually makes a dish taste better.  But, not if it's one of those fruit syrups from the grocery store that contain little fruit, but lots of sugar and artificial flavorings.  This syrup may seem too high in sugar, but it's much less than many commercial brands.  Since this is a syrup, it contains as much sugar as fruit, which produces a good texture.  Some of the sugar could be reduced, if you don't mind a thin syrup that runs all over the plate.  I don't mind the sugar, as I generally only use a tablespoon of it at a serving.

Cherry Syrup

(Linda Amendt, Blue Ribbon Preserves)

Note: Don't cook the syrup longer than stated, because it may turn into jelly. 

Cherry juice

Makes 6 half pints jars

4-1/2 pounds sweet cherries, pitted, stemmed and chopped
1/2 cup water

Combine cherries and water in an 8 quart saucepan over medium high heat.  Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce, cover, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat, take off the lid, and let cool for 15 minutes. Strain the juice from the fruit in a fine mesh strainer.  Discard the pulp.

Syrup

4 cups cherry juice
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons filtered lemon juice
1 cup corn syrup

Combine the juice, sugar, and lemon juice in an 8 quart saucepan.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Then cook over medium-high heat, bringing it to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir in the corn syrup and simmer for 10 minutes more.  Remove from heat and skim foam off the top. 

Ladle the syrup into hot clean jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.  Wipe the jar rims and threads with a clean, damp cloth. Cover with hot, clean lids and apply screw rings.  Process half-pints for 10 minutes in a boiling hot water bath. Pints for 15 minutes.

Comments

[peabody]

Yum, I would love this ricotta pancakes.

[Kristi]

I love cherries! I went shopping with my great aunt a few weeks ago, and while passing some I commented how much I love them, but how I am too cheap to pay $6.99 a pound for them. Bless her little 79-year-old heart, she grabbed a bag and insisted on buying them for me. Yum!

[MyKitchenInHalfCups]

I always for red! Sher I really don't like using huge amounts of sugar but there are times when nothing else will work - this would seem to be one of them. Most excellent.

[Patricia Scarpin]

Sher, tell me you are sending my jar by mail today, please. ;)

[Emily]

I'm drooling over all this red yumminess and its only 8:49am here!

[diva@theSugarBar]

good call!
cherries with greek yoghurt and that syrup looks lovely.

[Deborah]

Oooh, this definitely looks like it would be worth the work! My neighbor has a few cherry trees, and they never pick them. I was going to pick them last year, but the birds ate them all before they ripened. Hopefully I'll get some this year!

[Liam Cassidy]

Oh, my that looks amazing.

I have a question, though. If a make a big batch, how long would it last? One month? Two?

[Kevin]

That cherry syrup does look really good!

[Marc @ NoRecipes]

I can't wait till cherries come into season here. What brand of Greek yogurt did you use, it looks especially thick and delicious.

[Hillary]

That's a great idea! We have cherries that are about to turn...I should make some syrup!

[DaviMack]

I'm wondering if you couldn't just boil them & then run them through a chinoise or a food mill, rather than pit them first.

Sounds yummy - and the sugar ... could possibly reduced by using a wee bit of corn starch, but that's probably just annoying. :)

[shelley]

Wow, you have a cherry tree?! Lucky girl!

And my mouth is totally watering at the though of sweet cherry syrup, ripe cherries off the vine and of course, cherry pie.

*drool*

[maybelles mom]

Cherry syrup sounds wonderful. I have bookmarked this.

[Glenna]

yes, yes, yes! Love all things cherry. I'm clapping my hands with the glee of cherry season. They were so good last year my hands were a lovely shade of red for a few hours after pitting each batch!

[Kelly Cat's favorite human]

Now that gives me an idea... thanks!

[Animaina Mom]

How long can I store this syrup for?
Can I store thme in a cool pantry or does it need to be in the frig'?