Cherry Summer Soup (Kissel) Recipe
User Reviews
5
Cherry Summer Soup (Kissel) Recipe
Description
This Cherry Summer Soup uses sweet red cherries cooked gently in water with sugar and fresh lemon juice to release flavor and create a lightly sweetened broth. The use of potato starch dissolved in cold water thickens the mixture without adding any floury taste, giving the soup a silky consistency. Simmering without fully covering prevents boil-overs while blending flavors uniformly.
The soup can be served warm, ideal for cooler days, or chilled for a refreshing cold dessert in summer. The cherries remain suspended in the softly thickened liquid, contributing pleasant texture and bursts of fruity flavor. Straining the cherries is optional depending on texture preference.
Potato starch is preferred over cornstarch here due to better thickening power and a more neutral flavor. Frozen cherries can be used successfully, providing flexibility outside the fresh cherry season. The soup reheats well and can be enjoyed throughout the season.
Ingredients
- 1 lb cherries fresh or frozen, pitted, sweet red
- 8 cups water filtered
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice fresh
- 4 Tbsp potato starch in 1/4 cup cold water
Instructions
- Fill a medium pot with 8 cups of water. Add 1 pound of pitted cherries and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 12 minutes, partially covered (don't cover it completely or the contents may spill over. Stir in 3/4 cup of sugar and 1 Tbsp lemon juice and continue simmering another 3 minutes.
- Finally dissolve 4 Tbsp of potato starch in 1/4 cup of water and slowly add it to the pot while stirring the soup. Remove from heat and let kissel cool slightly. You can strain out the cherries if you prefer, but I love the texture and flavor they add to the soup. To serve, ladle the very warm soup into bowls or mugs. P.S. It reheats really well. My husband likes his kissel cold. Either way, it's such a treat!
Notes
- Use potato starch rather than cornstarch for a cleaner, better-thickened soup.
- Frozen pitted cherries are an acceptable substitute if fresh are unavailable.
- Serve the soup warm or chilled; it reheats well without separating.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
