Marmellata di cigliege (cherry jam) happens in one of those moments when someone comes home from the market with far too many cherries. The glossy, firm cherries with fresh green stems go straight into a bowl on the table, while the rest become a fragrant, ruby-red jam to enjoy in many delicious ways.
This batch of cherry jam was especially good – so good that I used some as a topping for a creamy Zuppa Inglese, the iconic Italian dessert. It is also perfect spooned over gelato or even churned into homemade ice cream.
Preparing the Cherries
Remove the stems, wash the cherries and discard any blemished fruit. Weigh the cherries and transfer them to a heavy-based saucepan.
Using a potato masher, crush about two-thirds of the cherries to release their juices.
Add the zest and juice of one lemon (for 500g of cherries—use more if you are working with a larger quantity). Cook over low to medium heat until the cherries soften.
Adding the Sugar. How Much Sugar to Use
Many traditional cherry jam recipes use equal quantities of fruit and sugar, and commercial jams may use even more. I prefer a less sweet, more fruit-forward jam and typically use half the weight of sugar to fruit—for example, 250g of sugar for 500g of cherries.
Add the sugar and cook over moderate heat for around 20 minutes, stirring until fully dissolved and thickened.
Test the setting point by placing a small amount of jam on a chilled saucer and drawing your finger through the centre. If it holds its line, the jam is ready.
Remove from the heat and rest for 10–15 minutes.
Sterilising and Bottling
Choose glass jars with airtight lids and sterilise them. I usually pour boiling water into the jars and submerge the lids in boiling water. A dishwasher cycle can also work well as long as its timing aligns with your jam being ready.
Ladle the hot jam into hot jars, seal, and allow to cool.
Zuppa Inglese with Cherry Jam
Zuppa Inglese is one of the most decadent yet simple Italian desserts. But there is one non-negotiable: without Alchermes liqueur, it cannot truly be Zuppa Inglese. This deep red, ancient Florentine liqueur perfumes the entire dessert and gives it its unmistakable character.
The components are straightforward:
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Savoiardi (sponge fingers)
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Rich egg custard
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Alchermes liqueur
Like a trifle, Zuppa Inglese is layered: biscuits dipped in Alchermes, custard, more biscuits, and more custard—three generous layers.
Finish with a cloud of whipped Chantilly cream (whipped cream with caster sugar and a touch of vanilla) and spoon over a few glistening cherries from your homemade marmellata di cigliege.
Perfect, celebratory, and wonderfully Italian.
Top with a layer of whipped cream (with a little caster sugar and vanilla = Chantilly cream)… and the cherries.
See more detailed recipes for:
ZUPPA INGLESE, a famous, Italian dessert