The Ministry of Culture’s Bolu recipe uses the province’s kızılcık fruit with water and sugar, with cloves and cinnamon offered as optional aromatics. The fruit is boiled and strained, the juice reduced with sugar, and the concentrated sherbet loosened with water when it is time to drink.
Bolu Kızılcık Şerbeti — Recipe Card
Bolu Cornelian Cherry Sherbet
Makes 12 servings · Makes about 1.2 liters concentrate, enough for 12 diluted drinks.US cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make Bolu Kızılcık Şerbeti
Wash the fruit
Sort out damaged fruit, then rinse the cornelian cherries thoroughly under cool running water. Leave the stones in.
Simmer the cherries
Bring the cooking water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the cherries and, if using, the cloves and cinnamon. Return to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until the fruit splits and softens.
Strain the juice
Pour through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. Press the softened fruit gently with the back of a spoon to release juice without forcing stones or coarse pulp through. Discard the solids and spices.
Sweeten and reduce
Stir the sugar into the hot juice until dissolved. Boil gently, uncovered, for 25–35 minutes, skimming foam, until the liquid measures about 1.2 liters/5 cups and remains easily pourable.
Cool and refrigerate
Pour the hot concentrate into clean heatproof bottles or jars. Close, cool at room temperature for no more than 2 hours, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. This step does not make the bottles shelf-stable.
Dilute to serve
For each serving, mix 100 ml/scant ½ cup concentrate with 100 ml/scant ½ cup chilled water. Taste and add more water if desired, then serve cold without garnish.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-cornelian-cherry-sherbet-bolu-kizilcik-serbeti. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
A few helpful kitchen notes
What is kızılcık?
Kızılcık is the cornelian cherry, a small oblong tart red fruit. It is not the same as cranberry or the round sweet cherry.
Fruit substitute
If cornelian cherries are unavailable, tart red plums can make a pleasant sherbet, but the result should be described as plum sherbet rather than Kızılcık Şerbeti.
Optional spices
The Bolu source makes cinnamon and cloves optional. Omit both for a clean fruit flavor, or use the modest amounts given so they do not dominate.
Sweetness and dilution
Start with equal parts concentrate and cold water. Add more water for a lighter drink; because the source is a concentrate, final sweetness depends on dilution.
Dietary
The base recipe is vegan. Granulated sugar processing varies by brand, so choose a product that suits your dietary preferences.
Refrigerator storage only
Filling hot bottles and closing them does not replace a validated canning process. Keep every batch refrigerated or frozen.
How to store and reheat Bolu Kızılcık Şerbeti
This is a refrigerated drink concentrate, not a tested shelf-stable canning recipe. Cool, cover and refrigerate at 4°C/40°F or below within 2 hours. Use within 7 days and pour with clean utensils. Freeze the cooled concentrate for up to 3 months, leaving expansion space. Discard if it becomes fizzy, moldy or develops a fermented or otherwise off odor.
Bolu Kızılcık Şerbeti: questions and answers
Can I use frozen cornelian cherries?
Yes. Add them frozen to the boiling water and allow a few extra minutes for the pot to return to a simmer.
Should I remove the stones first?
No. Simmer the washed fruit whole, then strain carefully so the stones and skins remain behind.
Can I serve it warm?
The Bolu concentrate is traditionally diluted for serving and is especially refreshing chilled, but it can also be diluted with warm water.
Can I store sealed bottles in the pantry?
No. This adaptation has not been validated for shelf-stable canning; refrigerate the concentrate and use it within 7 days.
