Tastes differ. But many people consider cherry to be ideal for making jelly. To the best of sour, moderately sweet, with rich color and delicate pulp, the fruits of the cherry tree give the opportunity to quickly and without much hassle to create delicious desserts. Using different techniques and recipes, cherry jelly can be prepared immediately before use or harvested for future use, all winter.
General rules for making cherry jelly
As in quince, apples, cranberries and black currants, cherries have a lot of pectin. This is a natural gelling substance, due to which cherry jelly is often made simply with sugar. This is enough to make the product thick, acquire a gelatinous consistency.
Cherry for jelly is used whole (with a stone or without), in the form of mashed potatoes or juice (with pulp and pure). Fruits are taken ripe, juicy, without damage and rot. The smell of cherries should be pleasant, without a hint of fermentation.
Variations on the theme of "cherry jelly" dozens. But whichever of the recipes is used, the process of preparing the fruits for processing is always the same:
1. Fruits are poured with cold water for 60 minutes so that the worms living in them float to the surface.
2. Wash cherries, tails tear off.
3. If indicated in the recipe, remove the seeds.
After that, the product is ready for further processing.
Gelatin (regular or instant), agar-agar, pectin can serve as a thickener for cherry jelly. Each of them has its own characteristics.
So, gelatin in excess of proportions can give the dessert a specific aftertaste. Therefore, in cherry jelly, this ingredient should be added exactly as much as indicated in the recipe. In addition, it must be borne in mind that gelatin interacts poorly with acidic fruits, which is why jelly from whole cherries can not freeze well. Finally, gelatin cannot be added to boiling liquids - the gelling properties of the thickener disappear at high temperatures.
Pectin, in contrast, can be boiled. Jelly with such a thickener is always dense. Pectin is equally well suited for both quick desserts and long-term storage of cherry jelly.
Agar-agar is good in that the jelly with it hardens perfectly even at room temperature. The inconvenience is that this thickener needs to be soaked in water a few hours before the preparation of the dessert. Plus, for the winter, cherry jelly with agar is not prepared. This gelling agent is more suitable for making jam, cherry jam.
The proportions of sugar for cherry jelly vary depending on the recipe. Average indicators - 700 g per 1 kg of fruit. In some cases, less sugar is taken for dessert - from 100 to 300 g per 1 kg of cherries.
Cherry Jelly: A Classic Recipe
Light summer dessert, with whole berries and a pleasant acidity on the palate. Preparing quickly and easily.
Products:
Fresh cherry - 600 g;
Sugar - 300 g;
· Water - 1.2 l;
Regular gelatin - 25 g.
Recipe:
1. Gelatin is soaked according to the instructions.
2. Syrup is made from water and sugar.
3. Washed pitted cherries are poured into boiled syrup. Cook for 10 minutes over low heat. Remove from the stove.
4. The swollen gelatin is heated over steam for complete dissolution, filtered through a sieve. Poured into a sweet fruit mass. Mixed.
5. Allow the jelly to cool. Poured into molds. They put in the refrigerator.
After 3-5 hours, the cherry jelly will completely harden. Before serving, the dessert is decorated with whipped cream.
Transparent cherry jelly without a thickener for the winter
The most time-consuming and quick way to harvest cherry jelly for long-term storage. The dessert has a clear ruby color, a pleasant sweet and sour taste.
Products:
· Processed pitted cherries - 2 kg;
· Sugar - 0.7 kg per 1 liter of liquid;
· Water - 300 ml.
Recipe:
1. Cherry is poured into the basin, filled with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil until soft.
2. The broth is filtered twice through cheesecloth, without rubbing the fruit.
3. Return the cherry juice to the plate. Boiled twice.
4. Into the fruit mass, constantly stirring, introduce sugar in parts. Cook until thickened.
5. When the jelly becomes viscous, like honey, the boiling process is completed.
The finished product is hot poured into sterilized jars, corked. Store the sweet preparation along with the rest of the winter preservation.
Thick cherry jelly for the winter (without gelatin)
According to this recipe, cherry jelly is quite dense, with a rich aroma and delicate taste. Bones from fruits are not previously removed, which speeds up and simplifies cooking. The proportions of the ingredients are determined during the preparation process.
Products:
Washed cherry with pits;
Sugar
· Water.
Recipe:
1. Cherries are poured into the basin. Pour water so that 1 cm liquid covers the fruit.
2. Cook at a slow boil for 50 minutes. The foam rising to the surface is periodically removed.
3. The broth is poured into another container. The soft cherry is cooled, frayed through a sieve, separating the flesh from the seeds.
4. The resulting mashed potatoes are weighed (measure the volume with a glass). Measure equal amounts of sugar, mix it with cherries.
5. The mass is placed on medium heat. Stirring, bring to a boil. The flame of the burner is reduced and cooked for 15 minutes. The foam formed on the surface is removed.
6. After evaporation of the liquid, the jelly will acquire a medium density consistency. At this point, it is removed from the fire, poured into sterilized jars and rolled up.
Banks are turned upside down, wrapped. Leave for 2 days in this form. The cooled cherry jelly is transferred to the pantry for storage.
Cherry in jelly for the winter (with gelatin)
A variant of a very beautiful, tasty, healthy sweet dish. Thanks to gelatin, the cherry broth hardens well. Jelly can be prepared for the winter or for dessert for a festive feast.
Products:
· Fresh washed pitted cherries - a full 3 l jar;
· Water - 0.5 l;
Sugar - 1000 g;
Regular gelatin - 70 g.
Recipe:
1. Gelatin is poured with water. Leave to swell.
2. Pour cherries into a container for cooking, mix with sugar.
3. Sweet fruit mass is placed on the stove. Cook from the moment of boiling for 5 minutes.
4. The gelatin is heated over steam to completely dissolve the granules. Filter through a fine sieve. Combine with cherry.
5. The mass is mixed and immediately removed from the heat.
Ready jelly from whole cherries is hot poured into jars (sterilized). Roll up. Store in a refrigerator or dry cold basement.
Raw cherry jelly for the winter
A very simple recipe for a delicious dessert. Since there is enough pectin in the cherry, you can make living jelly from it for the winter. The fruits are not subjected to heat treatment, due to which the maximum value of vitamins and nutrients is preserved in the finished product.
Products:
· Washed cherry without stones - 2 kg;
Sugar - 1 kg.
Recipe:
1. Cherry is poured in parts into a blender bowl and mashed.
2. Pour sugar. Continue grinding the mass until sugar crystals dissolve.
3. Leave the cherry puree for 15 minutes alone. Mixed.
Ready raw cherry jelly is poured into jars, closed with nylon lids and put in storage in the refrigerator.
Cherry jelly with apple juice (no gelatin)
Another option for making healthy vitamin sweets for the winter. It is prepared quickly and easily. Thanks to pectin in apple juice, the jelly hardens well, acquires a mild taste.
Products:
· Washed cherry without stones - 1 kg;
Sugar - 0.5 kg;
· Natural apple juice - 250 ml;
· Water - 100 ml.
Recipe:
1. Cherry is poured into a container for cooking, poured with water. Steamed until soft over low heat.
2. Fruits are ground hot through a fine sieve.
3. Combine cherry puree with apple juice and sugar. Mixed.
4. Boil the mass over low heat 2 times.
Ready cherry jelly with apple juice is poured into jars, corked. After cooling, they are transferred to storage in a cold basement.
Cherry jelly in a slow cooker (with seeds)
This option of sweet preparation for the winter is good because it practically does not require the presence of a person in the kitchen. It takes a maximum of 15 minutes to prepare the ingredients and pack the finished jelly. The stone gives the dessert an unusual almond flavor.
Products:
Washed ripe cherries - 1 kg;
Sugar - 4 tbsp .;
· Ordinary gelatin - 4 tbsp. l
Recipe:
1. Fruits are placed in a multicooker bowl. Poured with sugar. Leave for 2-3 hours to let the cherry pour juice.
2. The slow cooker is switched on in the "Extinguishing" mode for 1 hour.
3. Gelatin is poured into 50 ml of water for swelling.
4. When 5 minutes remain before the multicooker is finished, the swollen gelatin is heated over steam to completely dissolve the granules. Filter.
5. After a signal of completion of cooking, a thickener is poured into the hot cherry mass. Mixed.
6. The finished cherry jelly with pits is immediately poured into sterilized jars and corked.
After cooling at room temperature, the workpiece is transferred to storage in a refrigerator or basement.
Cherry Jelly Cooking Tips
Any kind of cherries is suitable for jelly. Fruits can be taken acidic or sweet, small or large. Most recipes use fresh cherries, walking from frozen berries or canned juice, you also get a delicious dessert. For a variety of flavors, add zest or lemon / orange juice, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, dry wine to cherry jelly.
Dishes for cooking fruit mass should be enameled, with a thick bottom. For gelling without adding thickeners, the cherries are boiled for a long time. Doing this is more convenient and faster in wide basins. Aluminum utensils are not used in the preparation of sweet billets - during oxidation, jelly can darken and acquire an unpleasant metallic taste.
Cherry jelly is served in bowls, bowls, glasses. Or take out from the molds and turn the gelatinous mass into portioned saucers. Dessert is decorated with whipped cream, fresh berries, pieces of fruit, mint leaves. Homemade winter preparations are used as a jam, served for tea, used for filling pies, a layer of cakes, etc.
