Ingredients for Black Forest Preserves
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- Unsweetened Cocoa
- Black Cherries
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- Liquid Pectin
- Amaretto Liqueur
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How to Make Black Forest Preserves
- Prepare your canner, jars, and lids according to canning guidelines (refer to the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving or the Ball Blue Book for detailed instructions).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups granulated sugar and ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder until smooth.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed stainless steel saucepan, combine 3 cups pitted and coarsely chopped fresh cherries and ¼ cup fresh lemon juice.
- Stir in the cocoa-sugar mixture until well combined.
- Over high heat, bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. A rolling boil is one that cannot be stirred down; it continues to boil vigorously even when stirred.
- Add 1 pouch (3 oz) liquid pectin to the boiling mixture, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of amaretto (or almond extract).
- Remove the saucepan from the heat immediately and skim off any foam from the surface.
- Ladle the hot preserves into prepared hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace at the top.
- Use a non-metallic utensil to remove any air bubbles. Add more hot preserves if necessary to maintain the ¼ inch headspace.
- Wipe the rims of the jars clean with a damp cloth.
- Center the lids on the jars and screw on the bands until fingertip tight.
- Carefully place the jars in the canner, ensuring they are completely submerged in water (at least 1 inch above the lids).
- Bring the water to a rolling boil, then process for 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and carefully remove the canner lid after 5 minutes. Wait another 5 minutes before removing the jars from the canner.
- Allow the jars to cool completely undisturbed. Listen for the “pop” sound of the lids sealing. Check seals after cooling by pressing down on the center of each lid. If the lid does not flex, it is properly sealed.
Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)
Sodium
0 g
Sugar
777g
Fat
1g
Carbs
66g
