Preserved fruit has always been popular in every culture. This is an old recipe from Basel, which candies cherries in brandy. The sugar absorbs moisture from the fruit, keeping it from going bad, and allowing long term storage.
Ingredients
1kg Sour Cherries
1L Brandy, Cognac or similar
250g Sugar (preferably unrefined or brown, but not powdered)
Instructions
Remove the stems from the cherries and poke each one with a toothpick or fork to prevent splitting.
Fill ajar with cherries, but avoid over-filling the jar. When you shake the jar, the cherries should be able to move around freely.
Add the sugar to the jar with the cherries
Fill the jar with the brandy and close it tightly
The cherries will need about four months for the sugar and brandy to permeate the cherries completely. The jar should be shaken once or twice a week for the first two months to distribute the sugar evenly.
