Nagyi's Cherry Soup
Christmas in our family has always meant one thing — Nagyi’s Cherry Soup. No festive table was ever complete without it. This sweet, tangy soup became a beloved tradition that Nagyi started many years ago, and it’s been lovingly passed down through the generations. Today, Ilona continues the tradition every Christmas, keeping Nagyi’s legacy alive with each pot of chilled, ruby-red cherry soup.
Serves: 6–8
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: Overnight
Ingredients
2 glass jars of pitted sour cherry compote (650 g or more each)
2 glass jars of pitted sweet cherries (650 g or more each)
1 ½ litres cold water
¼ teaspoon salt
½ stick cinnamon
1 large lemon, quartered
1 ½ cups pure icing sugar (do not use granulated sugar)
2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
250 g sour cream
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
Instructions
Prepare the cherries
Strain all cherries from their jars and place them in a bowl.
Reserve 1 glass of the sour cherry liquid and set it aside for later use.Make the cherry stock
In a medium, deep saucepan, combine:
The juice from the 1 glass of sour cherry compote,
The liquid from the 2 jars of sweet cherries, and
1 ½ litres cold water.
Add ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ cinnamon stick, and the quartered lemon.
Bring to a boil and simmer for about 3 minutes.
Remove the cinnamon stick and lemon pieces.
Check carefully for any stray seeds—they will make the soup bitter.Sweeten the stock
Stir in 1 ½ cups pure icing sugar and mix until completely dissolved.Make the creamy cherry mixture
In a separate bowl, combine the reserved sour cherry liquid with 2 tablespoons cornflour. Mix until smooth with no lumps.
Whisk in 250 g sour cream until the mixture is completely smooth and lump-free.
Gradually pour this mixture into the hot cherry stock, stirring well to combine.Chill overnight
Once mixed, let the soup cool slightly, then refrigerate overnight to allow the flavours to develop.Finish and serve
The next day, when the soup is completely cold, whisk in 2 beaten egg yolks.
(Important: do not add the eggs to warm soup or they will scramble.)
Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity with extra icing sugar or lemon juice if desired.
Chill until ready to serve.
To Serve
Serve the soup cold, garnished with a few of the reserved cherries in each bowl.
