Φράουλες σε ζάχαρη. Πηγή: Μαρία Συμεωνίδου.
Strawberries should be firm, large and not too ripe.
Name - Recipe
Γλυκό του κουταλιού φράουλα.
1 kg of strawberries (not too ripe)
3/4 kg of sugar
1 glass of water
1/2 glass of lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon juice
Choose strawberries that are large and firm. Wash them well and carefully remove the stems. Place the strawberries on a platter in a single layer and sprinkle with 1/2 glass of lemon juice. Leave them in the lemon juice for 3-4 hours, turning them over in between. Mix the sugar and water in a wide saucepan and place the drained strawberries in a single layer. Boil them for about 5 minutes. In the beginning, shake the saucepan until the sugar is well dissolved. Carefully remove the strawberries with a slotted spoon. Re-boil the syrup to thicken well. Place the strawberries back in the syrup (it will become watery). As the syrup thickens again, just before it is ready add a spoonful of lemon juice. Remove from the heat and skim it. When the dessert has cooled completely, place it in the jars very carefully so that it does not melt. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a year. (MANRE 2009, 14).
Boiling.
Boiling in syrup.
How do we know when the syrup is ready: Place some syrup in a spoon and let it drip away in the pot. When the syrup flows away easily, it means it is still watery and not ready. Keep on boiling for a few minutes and test again until the flow separates into drops. When a final drop remains hanging from the spoon, it means that the density is right and the syrup is ready. If not, that means that the syrup is not ready and needs a bit more boiling. Repeat the testing procedure again until the syrup has the right consistency. (MANRE, 2009)
Additional information and bibliography
Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Agriculture (2009). Traditional spoon sweets and jams, Press and Information Office, Nicosia.
Varvara Yangou
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