Cherry Tomato Spoon Sweet - Γλυκό κουταλιού ντοματάκι 🍅

Experience a delightful slice of Greek tradition with our Cherry Tomato Spoon Sweet. This exquisite dessert, known as "Glyko tou koutaliou," features luscious cherry tomatoes preserved in a fragrant syrup, offering a sweet taste of Mediterranean hospitality. Serve it with Greek yogurt for an unforgettable treat.

Ingredients

🍅 500g Cherry Tomatoes
🍬 250g Sugar
🌿 4-5 Cloves
🌿 1 Cinnamon Stick
🌿 1 Vanilla Pod
🌿 ~150g Almonds, Blanched and Lightly Roasted
🍋 Juice from 1 Lemon
🌼 1 tbsp Lemon Salt or Citric Acid in 1 liter water for soaking
🌼 2 tbsp Lemon Salt or Citric Acid for cooking
🧈 1 tbsp Butter
🌸 A small bunch of Arbaroriza (Rose Geranium), optional

Instructions

1- Prepare Tomatoes:

Wash the cherry tomatoes thoroughly.
Use a sharp paring knife to remove the stems and lightly carve a crisscross at the bottom of each tomato.

2- Blanch and Chill:

Submerge the carved tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute.
Transfer immediately to a bowl of cold water to cool them.

3- Peel and Deseed:

Peel the tomatoes, which should now easily slip off.
Gently press each tomato to squeeze out the seeds.

4- Create Soaking Solution:

Dissolve 1 tbsp of lemon salt or citric acid in 1 liter of water.

5- Soak Tomatoes:

Place the peeled and deseeded tomatoes in the lemon salt water.
Allow them to soak for at least 2 hours.

6- Strain Tomatoes:

After soaking, strain the tomatoes to remove excess water.

7- Cook the Dessert:

In a stainless steel saucepan, combine the strained tomatoes and sugar.
Allow the sugar to melt and combine with tomato juices.

8- Add Flavors and Almonds:

Add the cinnamon stick, vanilla pod, lemon juice, cloves, 2 tbsp of lemon salt, and butter.
Optionally, add blanched almonds before cooking.

9- Initial Cooking:

Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes.

10- Simmer:
- Allow the mixture to simmer slowly to deepen the flavors.

11- Bind the Syrup:
- Bring the mixture back to a boil until the syrup thickens. If it’s too runny after removing the tomatoes, boil alone until thickened. Add water if too thick.

12- Add Arbaroriza and Cool:
- Add arbaroriza for an optional fragrant note.
- Let the mixture cool completely before transferring it to sterilized glass jars.

Prep Time: Approximately 3 hours
Cook Time: About 35 minutes
Total Time: Around 3 hours 35 minutes
Servings: Approximately serves 6-8
Equipment: Stainless steel saucepan, sharp paring knife, slotted spoon, metal strainer, glass bowls, sterilized jars