One of the first “recipes” on this blog was No-Recipe Cherry Jam, posted in 2005. Why some hyperventilated about making something without an exact recipe, a lot of people successfully used those guidelines to make cherry jam over the last fifteen years. The basis for it was how I’ve been making jam forever; use 3 parts sugar to 4 parts fruit puree. The standard ratio is to use equal parts sugar to fruit puree but I like to use less.
When I scored a full flat of griottes (sour cherries) at the market last week, which are a rare find at the markets. They were well-priced (€10!), which made them even harder to resist bringing them home. Sour cherries don’t last long after they are picked; within 24 hours they’ll start losing their luster and need to be used. So I made cherry jam.
The food world has changed a lot and posting a one-size-fits-all technique, rather than a recipe, doesn’t work for a number of people. So I decided to go with the flow and make some jam, sharing exactly what I did in recipe form this time around.
A friend in Germany recently wrote to me, “Regarding jam ‘recipes’…once you understand the formula/principle, you are good to go…”
I guess nowadays I fall squarely in both camps. Some things, like brownies, custards, and cakes, are recipes where precise measuring, and combining them correctly, are the most important. Whereas bread recipes, macarons, and jam-making are more technique-driven and it’s strictly about measuring out things and mixing them together, but you’ll need to rely on tactile and visual clues, rather than precise cooking times.
Feeling the dough when making bread, or in this case, checking the jam texture on a chilled plate is the best way to tell you when it’s done. (As an example, jam usually sets between 218-220ºF,103-104ºC, but this one set a few degrees higher.) I can tell you how to whip cream or make caramel in detail, but once you’ve done it a couple of times, you know what to look out for.
The biggest question I get about jam recipes has to do with reducing the amount of sugar in them. It can seem like a lot when you’re adding it, but sugar in jam does a couple of things. One, it helps the mixture jell, along with the pectin in the fruit. And two, it preserves it. If you use less, the jam will be runnier and won’t last as long.
Cherries have very little pectin, especially sour cherries, and because I don’t add additional pectin (like they do here), you can expect this cherry jam to be on the soft side. Europeans tend to like their jams runnier than their American counterparts, so in the morning, you can have a European experience when you spoon some of this jam on your morning toast, as we do.
The upside is that the cherry jam is delicious. I’ve reduced the sugar in this recipe even further and don’t mind the soft-set. Unlike other jams that wrinkle when you do the wrinkle test (putting a spoonful of jam on a frozen plate, returning the plate to the freezer and when the jam wrinkles with you nudge it, it’s done), this one will be more like thickened syrup. It’s done when it’s thick and sticky and holds its shape for a few moments after you drag a spoon through it (below.) The cherries will be shiny and glossy, and almost candied, but not stiff.
Cherry Jam
If you only have 1 pound (450g) of cherries, you can cut the recipe in half. The liqueur is optional but it heightens the flavors of the jam. Use only enough so it complements the fruit – you don’t want to overwhelm it.
Note that this jam will be on the runny side, which is normal. Sour cherries will produce a softer-set jam than sweet cherries, but either will be delicious…or do a mix of both. If you want a thicker jam, increase the sugar to 3 cups (600g).
- 2 pounds (900g) sweet or sour cherries, or a mix
- 2 1/2 cups (500g) sugar
- freshly squeezed juice of one medium lemon, plus additional juice if desired
- 1-2 drops of almond extract , or 1-2 teaspoons of kirsch or another liqueur, such as amaretto, gin, or whiskey
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Remove the stems and pit the cherries. Put them in a large non-reactive pot. If using sweet cherries, add 2-3 tablespoons of water to the pot. (Sour cherries will exude enough liquid on their own so no need to add additional water.) Put a small plate or saucer in the freezer.
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Cover the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cherries are wilted and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
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Remove the lid and stir in the sugar and lemon juice. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently until the mixture thickens. It’s hard to say how long it will take, but when the mixture resembles the sixth picture in the post, the one in the pot with the bubbles, turn off the heat and test the jam by putting a small spoonful on the frozen dish. Return the dish to the freezer for a few minutes until the jam on it is cool. Run a spoon through it and if the liquid is very thick and leaves a clear patch, as shown in the photo in the post, it’s done. If not, return the plate to the freezer and continue to cook the jam, testing it at various intervals, until it’s done. (If you want to use a thermometer to check the jam, it should be ready somewhere between 220º and 225ºF, 104º-107ºC.)
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When ready, turn off the heat and stir in the almond extract or liqueur (or both, if you wish). If desired, you could add an extra squeeze of lemon juice to balance the sweetness. Ladle into clean jars.
Note: If you want to repurpose the cherry pits, they can be used for making sour cherry syrup.
