Greek cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Glyko Koutaliou Kerasi

Whole sour cherries preserved in thick, ruby-red syrup – the classic spoon sweet served with coffee.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 1 kg sour cherries
• 800 g sugar
• 200 ml water
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 strip organic orange peel
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

1. Wash the cherries, remove the stems and carefully pit them with a cherry pitter so the fruit stays as whole as possible; catch the juice that comes out.
2. Layer the cherries and their juice with the sugar in a wide bowl, cover and let sit cold 4 hrs. or overnight, until the sugar has almost completely dissolved.
3. Put everything with the water, cinnamon stick, orange peel and salt into a wide pot and bring to a boil over medium heat, carefully skimming off the rising foam.
4. Simmer gently uncovered 25–30 min. without stirring vigorously – rather swirl the pot occasionally so the cherries stay whole.
5. Add the lemon juice and reduce a further 5–8 min., until a drop of syrup stays put on a cold plate without running; remove the cinnamon stick and orange peel.
6. Fill the preserve hot into sterile jars, seal and let cool; serve spooned over coffee, yogurt or vanilla ice cream.