The hardest part of this recipe is removing the pits from the cherries. Use a cherry pitter, cherry stoner, large sewing needle, or—if you have the time—a paper clip to remove the pits. Sour cherry spoon sweet (aka vyssino glyko tou Koutaliou—in Greek: βύσσινο γλυκό του κουταλιού, pronounced VEE-see-no ghlee-KOH too koo-tal-YOO) is one of the Greek favorites, and it can be served along with a glass of water, with a cup of Greek coffee or spooned over Greek yogurt or vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 pounds cherries (sour variety, fresh)
- 7 1/2 cups sugar (granulated)
- 7/8 cup water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Steps to Make It
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Wash the cherries well.
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Remove stems and pits carefully, keeping cherries intact.
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In a wide pot, lay the cherries in layers, covering each layer with sugar, until all the cherries and all the sugar have been used.
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Set aside for 3 hours.
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Add the water to the pot and bring the cherries and sugar to a boil over high heat. Skim off foam as it rises to the top with a slotted spoon. When the syrup thickens, add the lemon juice and allow to boil for another few seconds. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
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When thoroughly cooled, place in airtight glass jars to store.
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To serve, place 2 to 3 teaspoonfuls of the cherries and syrup on a small plate. Serve alone, with coffee, or as a topping on yogurt, vanilla ice cream, tarts, or other desserts. Sour cherry spoon sweet is always served with a glass of cold water.
Note: If you plan to make Vyssinatha (non-alcoholic cherry cordial) that uses the sour cherry syrup, add an extra 4 cups of sugar to this recipe to increase the quantity of syrup.