Cherry Pear Conserve

Name: Cherry Pear Conserve
Prep time: 1 h 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 10 pints.
Ingredients: 2 medium lemons; 2 medium limes; 8 cups chopped peeled ripe pears; 2 cans (16 ounces each) pitted tart cherries, drained; 2 cans (20 ounces each) crushed pineapple, undrained; 2 cups raisins; 10 cups sugar; 1-1/3 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

I use pears harvested from my own trees to make this conserve. I love it combined with cream cheese and spread between two waffles that are topped with pure maple syrup. —Ruth Bolduc, Conway, New Hampshire

Ingredients

2 medium lemons
2 medium limes
8 cups chopped peeled ripe pears
2 cans (16 ounces each) pitted tart cherries, drained
2 cans (20 ounces each) crushed pineapple, undrained
2 cups raisins
10 cups sugar
1-1/3 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions

Grate peel from lemons and limes; set peel aside. Remove pith from lemons and limes; section the fruit and place in a large bowl. Add lemon and lime peel, pears, cherries, pineapple, raisins and sugar. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Transfer to a large kettle or Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat for 50-60 minutes or until thickened. Stir in nuts; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Immediately ladle into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Adjust caps. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.