Lingonsylt
Lingonsylt: lightly cooked Swedish lingonberry preserve
Lingonsylt is the bright red preserve on every Swedish table: with meatballs, Wallenbergare, potato pancakes and kroppkakor, and in Finland and Norway with reindeer and porridge. Swedish families pick the berries in September in the forests and either stir them raw with sugar (rårörda lingon) or cook them very briefly so they stay whole and sharp. A common mistake is boiling them long, which makes a dull, jelly-like jam. Chef's tip: cook for only 3–5 minutes, then cool fast; lingonberries are rich in natural preservatives and keep well.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the preserve
- 1 ⅛ lb lingonberriesfresh or frozen
- 7 oz sugar
- ½ cup water
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Bring ½ cup water and 7 oz sugar to the boil, stirring until dissolved.
3 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅛ lb lingonberries and simmer for 3–5 minutes, until a few berries burst but most stay whole. Common mistake: boiling long; it turns dull and jammy.
5 minStep 3: Skim, cool quickly and spoon into clean jars. Keeps 3 months in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 70 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 17 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lingonsylt take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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