Christmas Cookies Week is coming up and I was having a hard time getting the candied cherries I needed for a recipe. I went searching for a recipe to make them myself and found this simple one on the King Arthur Baking Company site.
All you need is a jar of maraschino cherries, sugar and some time. There is a caution at the bottom of their page that says not to leave them unattended and I concur. I worked on a dough for another recipe while I kept an eye on them simmering.
I have a candy thermometer, but if you don't you can determine soft ball stage by taking some of the syrup and dropping it into a bowl of cold water. Let it sit for a minute and if you can pick it up and roll it into a ball you're good to go.
I own a billion different cooking utensils, but not a single slotted spoon. I started out moving them with just a spatula, which was making a huge mess, and then switched to a fork. That worked much better but I'm still putting a slotted spoon on my Christmas wish list!
Another name for candied cherries is glacé, which is defined as "having a glossy surface due to preservation in sugar." To me, they look like little shiny jewels. Be sure to check back next week to see how I used these beauties!
DIY Candied Cherries
Ingredients
- 16-ounce jar maraschino cherries (without stems)
- 3/4 cup sugar
Instructions
- Drain the cherries, reserving 1/4 cup of the juice.
- Combine the 1/4 cup cherry juice and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan, and cook over medium heat until the sugar is mostly dissolved (it should be more liquid than granular), 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the cherries to the pot, and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat so the liquid is simmering.
- Simmer for 45 to 55 minutes, checking on the cherries and stirring them gently every 10 minutes or so, until they're slightly wrinkled and firm when you touch them with a spoon. At this point the syrup should have reached about 235°F, known as soft-ball stage.
- Remove the cherries from the heat, uncover the pan, and allow them to cool to room temperature.
- Remove the cherries from the pot with a slotted spoon or strainer, transferring them to a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate.
- Use cherries immediately, or store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Genius to make your own! I will have to try this. I also have to go look to see if I own a slotted spoon lol
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