The cherries are the most popular seasonal fruit during these spring and summer months, a delight for the palate that is hard to resist. Finally, a bit of red after so much winter greyness!
Cherries are so tasty that one leads to another. They are typically eaten raw as a snack: fresh, sweet or tart, redder or more violet, they are definitely a satisfying and low-calorie snack perfect for summer. But when we have leftovers and want to preserve them, what should we do? Well, the answer is simple: just make an excellent cherry jam. Ideal for preparing homemade tarts or for a simple snack with bread, jam is a product that should never be missing from the pantry at home and can be enjoyed at any time of the year, even during the rainiest months when summer is just a distant memory.
So, let's see together how to prepare an excellent homemade cherry jam.
This is a simple recipe, and the cherries from Illasi, which you can find in our shop, are perfect for obtaining a high-quality product with a very intense flavor.
What do we need for our cherry jam?
1 kg of pitted Illasi cherries
300 g of sugar
1 lemon
1 large glass bowl
1 saucepan
Where to start? First of all, we need to macinate the cherries.
Pit the cherries by cutting them in half and then place them in a large, low glass bowl where sugar and 3 or 4 tablespoons of lemon juice will also be added; if desired, you can also use the lemon zest, provided that it is from untreated organic lemon. Finally, let it rest in a cool and dry place or in the fridge for 6 – 8 hours.
Once the maceration is complete, remove the lemon zest and put everything into the saucepan, cooking over low heat for about an hour and skimming off the foam occasionally with a slotted spoon. The cooking will be finished when the liquid's consistency is such that it remains particularly thick. A drop placed on an inclined surface should adhere to the surface without running away.
The cherry jam, once the cooking is finished and still hot, should be poured into glass jars, the size of which can be chosen at your discretion. Then, immediately close them and turn them upside down on a counter, waiting for the jars to cool down. Finally, the jam should be stored in a dark and cool place for at least three weeks. Once the jar is opened, the jam should be consumed within five days at most. For this reason, we recommend using not too large jars.
Of course, nothing prevents you from experimenting and creating spicier and more unique recipes: for example, you can try ginger or mint-flavored cherry jam. Or, you can add other fruits such as currants or apples.
Before we finish, let us reveal a little curiosity: in spoken language, it is often heard to use the words marmalade and jam as if they were synonyms, interchangeable terms.
In reality, while they are two similar things, these two words indicate different things. With the term "marmalade", the European Community has established that it refers to a product based on sugar and citrus fruits, such as lemon, grapefruit, etc. With the word "jam", on the other hand, all compounds based on sugar and all other types of fruit are indicated.
Therefore, saying "cherry marmalade" is incorrect. The correct form to use is cherry jam.
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