Sunshine Cherry Jam

Preparation

1. Pit the cherries, reserving 36 pits. Place the pits in a towel and hit sharply with a hammer. Remove the inner kernel from each pit. Combine these kernels, 1/4 of the cherries, the corn syrup, and 1 cup sugar in a large pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Add remaining cherries and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring frequently so that the sugar does not burn. Cook at a rolling boil for 12 minutes, remove from the heat and skim carefully. Pour juice and cherries in a single layer into shallow pans, cover each with a pane of glass and insert a small paper wedge under the glass on each pan to allow air to circulate. Stand pans in the sun for 3 days, or until liquid thickens. Stir twice daily. Pour into hot, sterilized jelly glasses and cover with a thin layer of melted paraffin. When the paraffin has hardened, cover the glasses and store. (If you do not have 3 consecutive days of hot sun, the juices will take longer to thicken but the end result will be the same.)