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Canned cherries are one of the most versatile and prized ingredients in the world of professional gastronomy. Their intense color, balanced sweetness, and unique texture make them an essential element, not only in pastry making but also in haute cuisine and cocktails. Among preserved fruits, professionals perhaps use this ingredient the most.
For a pastry chef, mixologist, or chef, the final result isn’t enough; understanding the origin and process of each product is crucial. At Lazaya, we’ve been offering the finest preserved cherries to professionals in various formats for over 80 years, and today we want to open the doors of our factory and explain in detail how our preserved cherries are produced, their properties, and how you can get the most out of them in your business. Stay with us; we’re sure it will help you enhance your creations.
Table of Contents
The production process of preserved cherries
Let’s see step by step how preserved cherries are made to achieve the highest quality in the different formats:
Selection and harvesting of the cherry
It all begins in our own fields in Aragon. To obtain the perfect preserved cherry, the harvest must take place at its optimal point of ripeness, generally between May and July, depending on the variety and the geographical area. At this time, the fruit presents the perfect balance between acidity and sweetness, as well as a firm structure, capable of withstanding thermal and mechanical processes without falling apart.
At Lazaya, we have our own cherry orchard and we personally harvest and select the best cherries for our products. The selection process is meticulous, and only cherries that meet strict standards for size, color, and absence of defects move on to the next stage. This initial quality control is essential to guarantee a top-quality final product.
Washing and de-stemming
Once harvested, the cherries arrive at our facilities where they undergo a thorough cleaning process and rigorous sizing. For a professional, size matters: the same size isn’t used to decorate a cake as it is for the inside of a chocolate. At Lazaya, we classify the cherries with millimeter precision to ensure consistency in every batch.
Depending on the final product (stemmed or unstemmed), the cherries pass through high-precision machines that remove the stem and, if necessary, the pit. This step is very important, as the pitting must be done cleanly to avoid damaging the integrity of the pulp and maintaining its original spherical shape.
Preservation process
Depending on whether we produce cherries in syrup or candied cherries, the process varies:
- Cherries in syrup: To make cherries in syrup, the fruit undergoes controlled cooking and is packed in a sugar and water solution (the syrup). This liquid acts as a natural preservative and flavor carrier. Depending on the sugar concentration (Brix degrees), we obtain a light or thick syrup, adapting to each customer’s sweetness requirements.This process allows the syrup to penetrate the cherry evenly, preserving its texture and enhancing its natural flavor. Subsequent pasteurization ensures the elimination of microorganisms and guarantees a long shelf life for the product without the need for artificial preservatives.
- Candied cherries: Candied cherries undergo a more complex process based on the principle of osmosis. The fruit is submerged in sugar syrups with increasing concentrations, which causes a gradual replacement of the fruit’s natural water with sugar.This process should be gradual to prevent the skin from wrinkling. The result is a fruit with a firm texture, a bright color, a more concentrated flavor, and a longer shelf life, ideal for baking without the fruit losing its qualities. Cherries can also be glazed or frosted, giving them that characteristic shine so prized by bakers.
Coloring and aromatization
To achieve that vibrant color (red, green, yellow, or blue), we use stable food colorings, most of them natural. Similarly, we adjust the aroma to enhance the customer’s sensory experience.
Final quality control
Before packaging, each batch undergoes rigorous organoleptic, microbiological, and size controls. Only in this way can we guarantee that the product meets the highest quality standards.
Nutritional properties of preserved cherries
Many believe that preserved cherries are only used for aesthetic purposes, but nutritionally and functionally, they retain many properties of the original fruit. Let’s take a look:
- Immediate energy boost: Thanks to their simple sugar content, they are a source of quick energy, ideal for pastry products intended for athletes or recovery.
- Dietary fiber: Although the process softens the fiber, preserved cherries still provide pectin and cellulose, aiding digestion.
- Antioxidants: Cherries are rich in anthocyanins (responsible for their color). Although some are lost during heat processing, a significant amount remains, providing antioxidant properties that combat oxidative stress.
- Vitamins: They contain vitamin C and B vitamins, essential for energy metabolism.
- Minerals: They provide potassium, magnesium, and iron in moderate amounts.
Ideal storage conditions for Preserved cherries
To keep preserved cherries in perfect condition until use and maintain their optimal texture, color, and flavor, it is important to follow these recommendations:
Before opening the container
- Store in a cool, dry place away from direct light.
- Ambient temperature between 15°C and 20°C.
- Avoid areas with sudden changes in temperature or high humidity.
- Avoid direct exposure to sunlight or heat sources (ovens).
After opening the container
In the case of cherries packaged in cans or glass jars ,once the container is opened, the product loses its commercial sterility, which is why extreme precautions must be taken:
- Keep refrigerated between 2°C and 5°C.
- Keep the cherries always covered in their syrup.
- Always use clean utensils to extract the product.
- Avoid cross-contamination.
- Best consumed within 2-3 weeks.
Main professional uses of preserved cherries
In pastry and confectionery
Candied cherries are the undisputed stars here. Their low free water content allows them to be baked inside pastries without making them soggy or sinking to the bottom.
- Cake and pastry decorating: Candied cherries often top a large number of dishes, such as Black Forest cake.
- Fillings: We can use them for chocolates, truffles, sponge cakes and puff pastries.
- Candied fruits: They serve as a base for panettone, king cakes and nougat.
- Ice creams and semifreddos: Amarena cherries are great here, for their contribution of texture and their burst of flavor.
Preserved fruits in cocktails
No classic cocktail is complete without a good cherry. The discerning customer can distinguish a quality cherry from a gummy bear.
- In classic cocktails: Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Singapore Sling and many more use Maraschino cherries or cherries in another format for presentation.
- Custom syrup preparation: Cherry syrup can be used to create unique blends.
In haute cuisine
Chefs use maraschino cherries to play with contrasts.
- Side dishes for meats: Cherries pair very well with birds and game due to their sweet-acidic contrast.
- Sweet and sour sauces<>/strong: They are used as a base for reductions and signature sauces.
- Gourmet salads: They bring an unexpected touch that elevates any proposal to another level.
- Breakfast buffets: Offering quality cherries alongside yogurts and cheeses elevates the buffet.
Why choose Lazaya preserved cherries?
At Lazaya Preserved Fruit we fully understand the needs of professionals. That’s why our catalog includes a wide variety of preserved cherries: in syrup, candied, Amarena, Maraschino, liqueur, or Christmas Fruit, with different Brix levels and sizes, with or without stems, with or without pits, in different colors, and in formats adapted to the needs of each establishment.
We work with our own cherries and we take care of the entire manufacturing process, from harvesting the fruit to its final packaging, without intermediaries and with processes that respect tradition and incorporate the latest technological innovations.
The end result is what every professional expects: preserved cherries that make all the difference in every dish, every dessert, and every glass. Discover our wide variety of preserved cherries and surprise your customers with the quality that only Lazaya can offer. Unsure which product best suits your needs? Contact us, we’d be happy to help you.
