
Spoon sweets are synonymous with hospitality in a Greek household. You will almost always be offered this sweet (usually served as a generous spoonful on a small dish) with a cup of Greek coffee and a glass of cold water when visiting. There are many varieties of spoon sweets: from orange peel, figs and quince to walnuts. Visino, or sour cherries, grow in the mountainous regions of Ikaria. They are bright red when harvested and retain their colour even when cooked.
500 g sour cherries, fresh, washed, stemmed, de-stoned
500 g sugar
125 ml water
1 tbsp lemon juice
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In a large saucepan, layer some of the prepared until they cover the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle enough of the over the cherries to cover. Repeat, layering the remaining cherries and sugar.
Allow the and mixture to rest, covered, for up to 6 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
If you have refrigerated the overnight, allow them to return to room temperature. Place the pan on the stove over a low heat and add the and the .
As it begins to simmer you will need to skim any foam that comes to the surface. Simmer for about 20–30 minutes, making sure not to burn the syrup. The mixture will be ready once the syrup coats the back of a spoon.
Allow to cool. Pour into the sterilised close with the lid and place upside down onto the bench. This will create a vacuum seal.
Serve with a Greek coffee and glass of cold , and store refrigerated.