Körsbärssoppa

Körsbärssoppa — cold sour cherry soup — is a Swedish midsummer tradition, a chilled fruit soup poured from a glass jug at a table laden with flowers and new potatoes. Unlike the blueberry version, this one uses morello cherries, whose deep tartness is tamed with a little sugar and brightened with cardamom. It doubles as a light dessert or a palate-cleansing starter.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 600g (1.3 lb) fresh or frozen pitted sour cherries (morello variety)
• 600ml (2½ cups) cold water
• 3 tbsp (45g) sugar, plus more to taste
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 cardamom pods, lightly cracked
• 1 strip lemon zest
• 1 tbsp potato starch (or arrowroot), dissolved in 3 tbsp cold water
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 100ml (½ cup) cold whipping cream, softly whipped, to serve
• Fresh mint leaves, to garnish

Instructions

1. Combine the cherries, water, sugar, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and lemon zest in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
2. Cook 10–12 minutes until the cherries are completely soft and have released their colour.
3. Remove from heat. Fish out the cinnamon, cardamom pods, and lemon zest.
4. Use a potato masher to crush about half the cherries for a chunky texture, or blend briefly for a smoother result.
5. Return to medium heat. Stir the potato starch slurry into the soup and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy.
6. Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust sweetness.
7. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until thoroughly chilled.
8. Serve in bowls or glasses with a spoonful of softly whipped cream and a mint leaf.

Cook's Notes: Potato starch gives Swedish fruit soups their characteristic glossy, slightly jellied texture — cornstarch can substitute but produces a less refined finish. Sötsur (sweet-sour) balance is key: the soup should retain a gentle tang from the cherries. Serves equally well as a dessert or a chilled first course.