Sugared Raspberries

Despite how things may appear, I actually don't do a lot of canning. That's not to say that I don't put away a lot of our summer bounty. It is mostly berries that I put up, and I freeze them. I use them in baked goods all winter long. There is nothing better than blueberry muffins in January. A sweet taste of summer. That is why I enjoy freezing my berries, they retain that taste of summer flavor you just don't get from jams, syrups, or liquors. I like those things too, but there is nothing better than the bright flavor of summer berries.
That is precisely why I like the sugar method of preserving raspberries. Although it uses a lot of sugar, the berries are not cooked. Using this method they retain their bright summer flavor. You can use these preserved berries as an ice cream topping, a cake or pie filling, or spoon a little over your oatmeal. I have to confess once December rolls around you will most likely catch me with the fridge door open, my spoon in the jar trying to capture just a little bit (or bite) of summer.

Sugared Raspberries
adapted from The Splendid Table

2 cups fresh, unblemished raspberries
2 cups granulated sugar


Pick through the berries removing any stems, leaves, or other objects that may have fallen in during picking. Place the berries in a mixing bowl, and pour the sugar over them. Use a potato masher to mash the sugar into the raspberries until they are liquefied and there is no trace of whole berries left. (A blender is not good for this, because it will pulverize some of the raspberry seeds contributing a bitter flavor) If you don't like your sauce exceptionally seedy, you can do as I did and strain out some of the seeds. You need to leave about half of them in to keep the texture of the sauce.
Transfer the mixture to jars and refrigerate for 2 days before using. Sugared raspberries will keep for 1 year or longer under refrigeration.