Sour cherry jam

In summer, İstanbul’s pazar (farmers’ markets) have an abundance of sour cherries and many are used to make this luscious, sweet and sour jam. Fresh sour cherries can be hard to find, but fortunately the frozen variety works well in this recipe.

• makes

  1 jar

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

I absolutely adore sour cherries and this vişne reçeli. Try the jam with açma (Turkish-style buttery buns) or tırnaklı pide ekmek (yeasted finger-dented flatbreads), with butter or kaymak (clotted cream), as part of breakfast or to brighten any time of the day – it is heavenly.

Ingredients

• 350 g (12 1/4 oz) frozen sour cherries
• 255 g (9 oz) sugar
• 3 tsp fresh lemon juice

You will need a 370ml (13 fl oz) sterilised jar (see Note)

Cooling time: 2 hours.

Instructions

1. Place the cherries in a medium pan set over a low heat, add the sugar and allow the cherries to soften and the sugar to begin to dissolve, stirring gently occasionally. Once the cherries have released their liquid, increase the heat to medium, bring to the boil, stirring to fully dissolve the sugar. Skim off any foam that forms on the surface with a spoon. Reduce the heat, add the lemon juice and gently simmer for 40–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, skimming off any remaining foam, until the mixture has thickened.
2. To test for doneness, take a teaspoonful of jam from the pan and spread it on a plate. Draw a line through the middle with a clean finger; if the line remains distinct, it has thickened enough.
3. Spoon the hot jam into the sterilised jar, seal with a lid, then turn the jam jar upside down on a plate to cool for about 2 hours. Once cool, turn the jar the right way up and store in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months. Once opened, keep refrigerated and consume within a month.

Sour cherry jam is wonderful with açma (buttery Turkish buns).

Note

Jar sterilisation: Wash both the jar and the lid in hot soapy water, stand them upside down on a baking tray (pan) while they’re still wet, then place in an oven preheated to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced) or) for about 15 minutes. To clean the rubber ring seal, remove the seal before washing the jar and place it in a small saucepan. Cover with water and boil for 3 minutes, then allow to cool.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.