Candied Cherries

[Lindacakes]

Candied Cherries

From Favorite Homemade Cookies and Candies, Sedgewood Press 1982

Wash one pound of cherries and remove the pits.

Place the cherries in a saucepan and cover with boiling water.

Cook for about 4 minutes or until tender.

Drain well, reserving 1 1/4 cups of the liquid.

Spread out the cherries, in one layer, in a heatproof dish.

Pour the reserved liquid back into the saucepan and add 3/4 cup of sugar.

Heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Pour the syrup evenly over the cherries.

Cover with a plate or tray to keep the cherries submerged in the syrup.

Allow to soak for 24 hours.

The next day, drain off the syrup into a saucepan.

Add 1/4 cup of the sugar, stir to dissolve, then bring to a boil.

Pour over the cherries again and let soak for 24 hours longer.

Repeat this step every day for the next 5 days.

The next day, drain off the syrup into a saucepan.

Add 6 tablespoons of sugar, stir to dissolve and bring to a boil.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cherries.

Return the pan to the heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.

Pour the cherries and the syrup back into the dish, cover and soak for 48 hours.

On the tenth day, repeat but soak for 4 days instead of 48 hours.

The syrup should be like clear red honey.

Drain off the syrup.

Place the fruit on a wire rack over a cookie sheet.

Finishing

Dry the cherries in a warm place or in a 250-degree oven.

Cherries are dry when they no longer feel sticky.

For a glace finish, place 2 cups sugar and 2/3 cup cold water in a saucepan.

Heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and keep warm.

Have a saucepan of boiling water ready.

Pour some of the sugar syrup into a cup.

Dip the cherries, one at a time, first into the boiling water then the syrup.

When the syrup in the cup becomes cloudy, discard and replace with fresh.

As the cherries are dipped, arrange on wire rack over a cookie sheet.

Dry the cherries as described above.

For a crystallized finish, dip the cherries in boiling water and coat with sugar.

( RG1997 )