Candied Cherries - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1 lb fresh cherries, rinsed, stemmed, pitted
1/2 lemon
1 cup apple juice

Preparation

In a large saucepan, bring sugar & water to boil, then add cherries & lemon half.
Reduce heat to low & let simmer about 20 minutes, or until syrup is red & slightly thick.
Remove from heat & let stand 2-3 hours or overnight.
Strain the cherries, reserving the syrup, & set the cherries aside.
Discard lemon half & add apple juice to the syrup.
Over medium-high heat, bring syrup to boil & cook 5 minutes.
Return cherries to syrup, reduce heat to low & cook slowly until thick & a candy thermometer reads 220 degrees F (or 105 degrees C).
Cherries can be stored at least 6 months in the refrigerator.