Cherry Jam
This year we ran out of jam and preserve supplies so I started to fill the closet with our favourite jams. Cherry jam can be the star if you follow closely the recipe. I can say that the version below is my own invention, designed - by and for my tastes - to have a perfect jam consistency, with whole fruit, fine aroma and beautiful color.
The method of boiling for 10 minutes 3 days in a row is my favorite and I use it mostly for jams where I want the fruit to be whole and candied. It is a passive and easy way to macerate/candy the fruit and you just have to organize your work correctly.
My intuition was right, I came up with a wonderful cherry jam, with all the qualities I mentioned above. I don't usually make many jars, 4-5 of each assortment, enough to satisfy a craving.
In order to have 1kg of pitted cherries, I recommend buying/using 2kg - with everything you eat along the way and taking away the pits' weight, you will have exactly the amount you need.
Add the sugar to the cleaned cherries and squeeze the juice from 1 lemon.
Mix well with a spoon and leave 3-4 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
Do not forget to cover the bowl with foil or lid.
After this time the cherries will release syrup/water, mix once more with a spoon.
Then transfer to a saucepan, place over medium heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Now turn off the heat and leave the pot uncovered for 24 hours on the kitchen table.
You can cover it with a thin towel or gauze, but not with a lid.
On the 2nd day, place it over heat, boil for another 5-10 minutes, and leave it on the table again for 24 hours.
On the 3rd day, boil it again for 10 minutes and after that pour into jars.
So, fill the washed and well-dried jars with jam.
Screw the lids on as tightly as possible and arrange them upside down on the kitchen table.
Leave them sit like this until they cool completely.
If you keep the jam in the fridge before serving, it will get a bit thicker.
I highly recommend this recipe to busy housewives, you can easily organize everything in these 3 days - fruits, jars, etc.
Enjoy!
