Brandied Cherries

Makes: About 4¼ cups/684 grams

Brandied cherries are not only delicious, they do not harden when frozen. And they will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator. Luxardo cherries are an excellent alternative because the heavily concentrated syrup also prevents them from freezing hard.

sugar	100 grams	½ cup
water	59 grams	¼ cup (59 ml)
Bing cherries, fresh (pitted) or frozen and thawed	684 grams	3¾ cups
cherry brandy (see Scoops)	119 grams	½ cup (118 ml)

* Have ready a 4 cup/1 liter glass measure with a spout, lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray.

1) In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar and water. Add the cherries and bring the mixture to a full boil, stirring gently. Boil for 1 minute.

2) Transfer the cherries to canning jars and pour the liquid into the prepared glass measure. There will be about 1 cup/237 ml. Reduce this liquid in a microwave, stirring every 20 to 30 seconds (or in a saucepan on medium heat) to ½ cup/118 ml. (This will take about 10 minutes in the microwave.)

3) Pour the reduced liquid over the cherries and add the cherry brandy. Swirl to mix.

Store

Airtight: refrigerated, up to 1 year.

Scoops

* Cherry brandy intensifies the cherry flavor, but if you’re planning to store it for more than a few weeks, use plain brandy because the cherry brandy causes the cherries to disintegrate on long standing.