B.c. Cherry And Raspberry Preserves

Total Time: 3 hrs 35 mins Preparation Time: 50 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs 45 mins

Ingredients

• 2 lbs bing cherries
• 8 cups raspberries
• 3 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Recipe

• 1 stem and pit the cherries; you should have 4 cups.
• 2 in a large bowl, stir together the cherries, raspberries and sugar.
• 3 let stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours.
• 4 pour the fruit into a wide, shallow, nonreactive saucepan and stir in the lemon juice. cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes until the mixture looks thickened and glazed.
• 5 remove a table-spoon of the preserves to a small saucer and chill in the freezer for 5 minutes.
• 6 run your finger through the mixture; if it wrinkles, it is ready to jar.
• 7 if it is not ready, continue cooking for 5 more minutes and repeat the test. sterilize four 8-ounce canning jars by washing and rinsing them in the dishwasher without detergent; keep them warm in a 250 degrees f oven.
• 8 pour boiling water over the jar lids to soften the rubber seals.
• 9 ladle the hot preserves to within 1/2 inch of the rims of the jars.
• 10 wipe the rims and seal with the hot lids and metal bands.
• 11 let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for several weeks.
• 12 or, to store longer, process in a water bath.