Cherry Preserves
Tart, sweet, and so festive for the holidays. Use it on anything — baked brie, buttery toast, ice cream sundaes, and even pancakes.
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
1 (10-ounce) bag frozen dark sweet cherries (about 2 cups; see note)
¼ cup cane sugar (or white granulated sugar)
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice (from about ½ lemon)
¼ teaspoon salt
Method
Add all ingredients to a medium pot and pour in ½ cup water.
Turn the heat to medium high and bring to a boil, about 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds and looks thick and syrupy, 20-30 minutes.
Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Transfer to a clean jar with a lid and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Notes
Cherries: You can also use fresh pitted cherries. But honestly, I don’t see the point in buying fresh cherries just to preserve them — this is a great way to preserve cherries when they’re in season.