Bing Cherry Syrup can be used in cocktails, pancakes or waffles, cheese blintzes, cherry sauce for ice cream and as a flavoring ingredient in many recipes. If you have access to a Soda Stream soda maker this makes a fantastic fresh cherry soda.
Sort and wash the cherries and remove cherry stems.
Using a cherry pitter, remove all the pits from the cherries.
In a medium sized pot over medium-high heat add 1 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, zest of 1 lemon with juice, 1 cup water, almond extract, ground cinnamon, pinch of salt and the pitted cherries. Bring up to a boil and reduce the temperature until the cherries are just boiling.
Cook the cherries in the liquid for 10 minutes. Be sure to watch the cherries while cooking and stir or remove from heat if the liquid starts to overflow. Return to heat and continue to cook for the whole 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, remove the cherries from the heat, strainand add the kirsch. Stir to incorporate and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Once the cherries have cooled, add the mixture to a blender. Cover and puree the mixture until well blended. Pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer back into the original pot and place over medium-heat. Reduce the syrup to the desired consistency stirring often for 5-8 minutes. (If upon blending the cherries the sauce is already thick enough for you, stop here, if not proceed)
Store in a clean dish or bottle with a tight fitting lid and keep in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Use as needed. Makes approximately 2 cups of syrup.