How to freeze cherries for the winter: 4 ways

Few people don't like cherries. And even fewer who know how to properly store the crop. No, compote, jam, jam - these recipes in each family are full. How to freeze cherries for the winter? To sculpt dumplings, add to pies and whatever else the soul desires. We share secrets.

General rules

Cherry must be washed. No matter how clean the berry looks, dust should be rinsed off the surface. Especially if the cherry was bought in the market. You do not know where and how it was collected. For the happy owners of their own garden, we’ll open the trick 1: you can wash the cherry directly on the tree. They extended the hose, under a slight pressure, thoroughly washed the berries directly on the branches. You can do this in the evening, and in the morning feel free to harvest a clean crop.

Many doubt whether it is possible to freeze cherries at all? Trick 2: Go to the largest supermarket nearby. Find there a department with frozen fruits and vegetables. Surely, there is a bag of cherries or cherries. Hence the conclusion: it is possible. By the way, in such a simple way you can resolve your doubts about the freezing of any workpieces. Did you find a package with the right vegetable or fruit? So, you can make such a blank at home. Is there such a frozen fruit on sale? So, after thawing it will be inedible and better harvested in another way.

Cherry is frozen pitted. The fact is that, subject to all conditions, the berries are stored in the freezer for up to 12 months. During this time, the bones produce hydrocyanic acid even at subzero temperatures. Do you need such a dish on the table? And after thawing, pulling out the bones - only lose delicious juice.

By the way, frozen cherry absorbs odors very well. Therefore, take the trouble to close it tightly. Otherwise, an unpleasant surprise awaits you in winter: berries with a taste of greens or raw meat.

That seems to be basic knowledge, you will learn the rest in the process of reading the article.

The principles of proper freezing cherries

• tray or baking sheet to the size of the freezer
• old thick towel
• dense film or polyethylene cut
• containers or bags for freezing

The film can not be replaced with foil, it quickly breaks. But silicone paper for baking or a silicone rug for needlework will do. Bags and containers should be clean, dry and cold. That is, leave them in the refrigerator and proceed. Procedure:

• Washed cherries are peeled.
• Put a towel on a baking sheet, cover with polyethylene on top.
• On the resulting design, the berries are poured in one layer, at intervals.
• Clean in the freezer for 40-50 minutes. During this time, you can clean a new batch of cherries.
• Now it all depends on your speed. Quickly remove the frosted berries, lift the towel over the edges and pour the workpiece into a cold container or bag.
• Just as quickly, the workpiece is put into storage in the freezer.

Why cool containers and do everything fast? Then, that the cherry is only frost-bitten, but not yet frozen through. A thin ice crust is enough to prevent the berries from sticking together. But delay will cause it to melt, and a warm container will allow the cherry to finally soften. And all your efforts will go to dust.

And why a towel, if you can pour berries directly from the film? It happens that the hostess does not guess with the thickness of polyethylene or a suitable one is not at hand. This is where the towel will save.It will prevent your frosted cherries from scattering across the table and kitchen.

Tip. Loose frozen cherries are convenient for making dumplings, making jelly and stewed fruit.

The principles of freezing cherries with sugar

They are very different from the above items. You will need:

• prepared cherries
• granulated sugar
• soft plastic containers or silicone baking dishes

Here the whole secret lies in the fact that cherries will not be frozen with individual berries, but with such pancakes, and in their own juice. The procedure is very simple:

1. On 1 tbsp. berries take 1 tbsp. l sugar with the top. Pass through a meat grinder or blender.
2. In a silicone mold or container lay cherries in one layer.
3. Pour the resulting cherry puree and put in the freezer for 4 hours. During this time, the workpiece will completely freeze.
4. Now they take out the cherry pancakes from the molds and containers (remember, we talked about soft plastic?). And they are stacked on top of each other in a tight bag, preferably with a zip fastener.
5. The procedure is repeated until the desired number of pancakes.

Such a workpiece is perfectly stored in the freezer for up to 8 months. By the way, if cherries categorically refuse to leave the container, then attach a hot damp napkin to the bottom for a few seconds. After such help, the pancake itself will slip into your hands. In the case of silicone molds, everything is much simpler. They are soft and easily eversed.

Tip. It is very convenient to fill pies or casseroles with cherry pancakes. Do not even defrost. He put the plate down, covered it with dough and into the oven.

Freezing cherries for cocktails

Some people like aesthetically beautiful furnishings even with simple cocktails. How can you decorate a drink and surprise guests? Pieces of ice with cherry.

You will need:

• clean drinking water
• fresh mint (small leaves)
• cherries
• ice molds

The procedure is simple to disgrace. A sheet of mint is placed in ice molds, and a cherry is placed on top. Pour with ordinary drinking water and put in the freezer for 8-10 hours. The finished cubes are shaken out of the molds, poured into bags and stored in the same freezer.

Tip. You can decorate a cocktail, iced tea, any juice with such a cube. There is no limit to your imagination.

Cherry puree freezing

Sometimes it happens that the berries are ripened and sprawl literally before our eyes. It’s a pity to throw it away, but don’t completely freeze it, you’ll still get a sour pot. What to do? Of course mashed potatoes! You will need:

• meat grinder or blender
• small storage tanks
• granulated sugar (optional)

Grind the cherry pulp into pulp, add sugar at will and taste. Or do not add. Just do not pour too much sugar, otherwise the mass simply will not freeze. What if the tank leaks? In the winter you will wash the fruits of your love for sweets. Recommended rate: for 1 kg of berries - only 300 g of granulated sugar. You can do without it. The taste and aroma of cherries will not suffer at all from this.

Then it remains only to mix thoroughly the resulting mass and arrange in prepared clean dry containers.

We recommend to lay out the cherry puree in portions weighing no more than 200 g. Such whetstones will be easier to dose. And in winter you don’t have to chop an ax with a huge piece of frozen cherry mass.

Tip. Frozen cherry puree is ideal for making sorbets, homemade ice cream and as a filling for open pies.

How to freeze cherries for the winter? Now this is not a problem for you. And where to determine the berries in the cold season - come up with for yourself. Here you are no adviser. We are sure that you will always find application for fragrant preparations.

Video: how to prepare cherries for the winter