Christmas sour cherry jam

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 2 kg sour cherries, pitted, frozen
• 1 kg gelling sugar 2:1
• ½ tsp, crushed cinnamon powder
• ½ tsp, leveled anise powder
• ½ tsp, leveled chili flakes
• 1 piece(s) of ginger root, approx. 4 cm
• 4 cloves, ground or crushed
• 1 small bottle(s) of rum flavoring

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 6 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 5 minutes; Total time approx. 7 hours 5 minutes

with Christmas spices, always works, for about 8 large glasses

Background: I always freeze a few 1 kg bags of pitted morello cherries from our summer harvest, fully ripe, for jam and desserts. Freezing causes the cherries’ cell walls to burst, making them even more suitable for storage. Place the frozen cherries and juice in a large plastic bowl (not metal) and let it thaw at room temperature. Sprinkle with gelling sugar and spices and mix everything thoroughly. Place the bowl and contents in a large bag and tie it up. I take a garbage bag and leave everything on the patio table for several hours or overnight at cool temperatures. This allows the gelling sugar to absorb the remaining whole cherries. Now puree about half of the cherries with a hand blender. Pour everything into a large pot and bring to a boil. As soon as it reaches a rolling boil, take the time and boil for another 4 minutes, then turn it off. Stir vigorously throughout the cooking time. Now test the setting on a previously chilled plate and quickly pour everything into prepared, sterilized screw-top jars. I use a special funnel for jam jars for this. Turn the tightly screwed jars upside down for about 5 minutes, then turn them over and let them cool. The specified amount is enough for about 8 large jam jars. If you work carefully, the jars will keep for at least 2 years. Note: Follow the cooking time as closely as possible. Cooking too briefly will destroy the pectins, and the mixture will remain liquid.