The nights are getting shorter here in Oslo, Norway. It feels a little chillier in the evening, and the crispy air tells me that autumn is approaching. Autumn is the harvest season. That means it is the season for making cheong syrup. We will go through everything about the basics of making cheong, the Korean raw syrup, with almost any ingredients.
Introduction to Cheong Syrup Recipes
During the harvest season, you get tons of fruits and vegetables available. Now we can find food all year round at stores, but preserving food in the autumn has always been something that people have been doing throughout history. Back in the day, people would preserve fruits and vegetables in the fall so they could have some food available in the wintertime. Cheong was one of the ways to do so. So if you have a lot of produce, it would be very useful to learn how to make choeng syrup! In this blog post, I will cover all the principles of making cheong so you can turn your fruits and vegetables into syrup that you can use throughout the year.
Let me tell you a little about the cheong syrup, then.
What is Cheong Syrup?
Cheong is a Korean preservation method that mixes sugar with fresh fruits, often mashed.
Q 1. Is cheong different from jam?
Unlike jam, where you need to cook the fruits with sugar, you leave the fruits fresh and untreated with heat when you are making a cheong. That makes the fruit cheong taste fresher and stronger than regular jam. For that reason, we call cheong a “fruit extract” in Korea.
Q 2. Is cheong different from syrup?
Cheong is also different from regular syrup, as you would let the sugar and fruit mix ferment when making Cheong. Depending on the type of fruits and the recipes, the cheong might have a shorter shelf life or can last for several years.
Here are some of the popular cheong varieties in Korea.
Varieties of Cheong
Although you can make all the cheong from the post, some variations exist depending on the types of fruits and vegetables you are using. So here are some of my blog posts on the specific cheong.
[ Berry Cheong ]
[ Citrus Cheong ]
[ Other Cheong ]
- Maesil Cheong (Korean green plum cheong)
- Cherry Cheong
- Apple Cheong
Then let’s take a look at the ingredients to make a cheong!
How to Make Cheong Syrup | With Any Fruits and Vegetables
A Key Ingredient for Cheong
1. Sugar
Using high-quality organic sugar like this will determine the final result of the cheong. Great sugar can not only preserve and ferment better, but also taste better!
Not only that, but using organic sugar is a great way to save our planet. There are a lot of pesticides used in growing regular sugar crops.
Let’s get some great organic cane sugar for taste, preservation, and the planet.
2. Allulose Fiber Syrup
My Normal Keto Allulose 17.1 Fl Oz – Allulose, Monk Fruit and Stevia Blend
Allulose syrup is used a lot in Korean kitchens. It adds sweetness to food with fewer calories, and it has fiber, which slows down the blood sugar spikes and hinders the sugar from being absorbed into our bodies.
When used in making cheongs, allulose syrup helps to accelerate the process. If you use only sugar, it takes longer to dissolve the sugar (sometimes it doesn’t dissolve at all!), and the syrup can have a high amount of sugar.
Pouring allulose syrup can also help the cheong to ferment well instead of being spoiled, as the liquid prevents the virus from entering the cheong.
3. Use Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
I love using frozen fruits and vegetables for a lot of my recipes, but using fresh fruits and vegetables is usually recommended when making a cheong. Cheong preserves most of the nutrients from the fruits and vegetables, including vitamin C. Frozen fruits have vitamin C already destroyed during the freezing process, so I recommend using fresh fruits and vegetables to make cheong.
However, if you don’t have fresh produce, using frozen packs also works great!
Health Benefits of Cheong
Cheong preserves most of the raw ingredients, so whatever cheong you are making, you get lots of health benefits from the ingredients. But here are the general health benefits of cheong you can expect!
- Relieve fatigue: It breaks down lactic acid
- Increase immunity: Citric acid in cheong helps improve immunity
- Promotes digestion: It promotes the secretion of gastric juice.
Cheong Uses
In Korea, cheong is used in so many different ways. Here are the most popular ways to use cheong.
1. Homemade Ade
First and foremost, the most common way to use cheong is to make homemade soft drinks with it. With cherry syrup, you can make your own homemade iced cherryade in no time! Simply mix the cherry syrup with the water.
Homemade Cherryade | How to Make Cherry Syrup for Drinks
Learn how to make this delicious homemade cherryade. In this post, you will also learn how to make a versatile cherry syrup with real cherries for drinks!
2. Homemade Cherry Cocktail or Alcohol
You can mix soju or vodka with your cherry syrup to make your cherry cocktail. Or, you can even make cherry liquor with your cherry cheong.
I shared my blueberry soju recipe with you here so you can make it with blueberry cheong.
Blueberry Soju | Korean Soju Recipe with Blueberry Cheong
You can make a blueberry soju with real blueberries at home to enjoy the deep flavors of blueberries. Read this blog post about the blueberry soju recipe that uses the Korean cheong method.
3. Homemade Latte
There are many lattes in Korea. You mix cheong with some plant milk. Pour it into a cup filled with ice, and there is your luxurious homemade Korean latte, such as a strawberry latte, a blueberry latte, or this cherry latte!
You can make a cherry latte with this gorgeous cherry cheong and cherry syrup. You can read my blog post below.
Strawberry Latte Recipe | Inspired by Starbucks Strawberry Latte
Now that you have your strawberry cheong, read this blog post to learn about the strawberry latte recipe!
4. A Topping for Yogurt and Ice Cream
Last but not least, you can use cheong as a topping for yogurt or ice cream!
Both the fruit pulp and the syrup can be used.
Ninja Creami Recipe Vanilla Ice Cream | Can Be Made Vegan!
This classic vanilla ice cream made with a Ninja Creami ice cream machine is so incredibly soft, decadent, and delicious. Plus, it can be made vegan! Read more.
Ratio of Sugar and Fruits
As a rule of thumb, the ratio of sugar to fruit is 1:1 when making a cheong.
However, people want to avoid taking excessive sugar these days. Also, some fruits are sweeter than others fruits and therefore can use less sugar when making cheong. Fruits that are less sweet or have less moisture can make the sugar dissolve more slowly.
[How to Make Honey Maesil Cheong Syrup]
This is a picture from the Rural Development Administration of the Republic of Korea. It shows how maesil Choeng extracts maesil honey syrup after a week. This recipe uses honey instead of sugar. (Maesil: Honey=1:1.5)
Various Modern Cheong Ratios
Now there are many recipes that use less or no sugar and use allulose syrup, honey, or xylose sugar instead. It also depends on how you want to use your cheong. I also consider the sweetness of the fruits, the moisture, and what I want to use my cheong for when making my cheong.
You can check out my cheong recipes to see my ratio.
Expert Tips on Making Cheong
Here are some of the expert tips on making all kinds of cheong!
1. Disinfect the Jars
When making cheongs, use well-sterilized glass, ceramics, or pottery. Here are the steps to sterilize the glass so you can kill all the bad bacteria that might exist in the jar and spoil the cheong.
[Disinfecting the Glass Jar]
- Slowly bring the water to a boil. Let the glass jar be disinfected with boiling water. Once the water starts to boil, turn down the heat to medium-high. Let it boil for about 5 minutes.
- Do not put a glass jar straight into boiling water. It can break the glass. Put the glass in the pot first, then bring it to a boil slowly.
- Take out the glass jar and let it completely dry.
Make sure not to use metalware for the cheong! I like using wooden ladles.
2. Use Wooden, Glass, and Ceramic Utensils
Use wooden spoons, glass, and ceramic wear to use on the cheong. Metals such as aluminum and stainless steel must be avoided.
Organic acids such as citric acid and malic acid in fruits dissolve when in contact with metals. Metal ions melt from the metals when in contact with these acids, and cheong will taste metal!
3. To Stop the Fermentation Process
As cheong has living microorganisms that carry the fermentation process, it will keep fermenting until it becomes alcohol and vinegar. So if your cheong reaches the desired level of fermentation, you can stop the fermenting process by briefly boiling the cheong.
Quickly bring the cheong to a boil, then remove the container from the heat. Leave it to cool naturally to room temperature. By bringing it to a boil, you can prevent the fermentation process and extend the storage period.
4. Strain the Syrup
You can strain the syrup and store it separately from the pulp of the ingredients. You can use the pulp as a topping on yogurt, a substitute for jam.
How to Store Cheong
1. Store In the Fridge
This blueberry cheong recipe doesn’t have lots of sugar or salt, and you don’t boil it to have less water content, as you would with making jam. So please be a little more careful when storing this beautiful blueberry cheong!
2. Store Somewhere Dark and Chill
If you don’t have space in your fridge to store your blueberry cheong, you can also store it somewhere dark and cool. Exposing blueberry cheongs to light and heat will not only make the cheongs go bad or ferment too soon, but also destroy the vitamin C in the cheongs.
3. Make Syrup Cover the Top
My goodness, this was the first mistake I made when I was making a cheong!
If you want your blueberry cheong to last a long time, make sure to cover the blueberry syrup from the cheong to the top. This means that the liquid should cover the top. This ensures no bacteria in the air gets into the cheong and spoils.
I didn’t know that at first, so my grape cheong started to grow fungus on top of the grape pulp. Yikes!
Frequently Asked Questions about Cheong
Q1. How long does Cheong last?
After three months, you have made a cheong. Please strain the syrup from the fruit pulp and seeds. Then store the syrup separately. You can expect the cheong to last up to three years. If your cheong is in alcohol, then it can last as long as it could if stored properly.
The fermentation process of the cheong can be stopped by boiling it quickly and then storing it in a fridge after cooling down.
Q2. Can I Use Zero-Calorie Sugar?
If you are going to eat your cheong and the syrup within a week and are going to store them in the fridge, yes, you can use zero-calorie sugar. I love making my cheong quick and easy with zero-calorie sugar because it’s healthier, and you don’t need to disinfect the jars to make it. It’s super easy and quick!
However, if you want to make a cheong that ferments and lasts longer than a week, using regular sugar is necessary. It’s what feeds the healthy gut bacteria in cheong and ferments, so we can have cheong last for years.
Cheong Varieties & Recipes
Now that you have learned the basics and techniques, here are some of my cheong recipes. You can also learn the cheong varieties from this post. I continue to make more cheongs, so this list will get longer and longer!
Blueberry Cheong Recipe | How to Make Korean Blueberry Syrup
Make raw Korean syrup with the superfood blueberries! Here is the blueberry cheong recipe you’ve been waiting for.
Strawberry Cheong Recipe | For Korean Desserts and Drinks
Strawberry cheong is a great way to preserve fresh strawberries. It’s a versatile dish that can be used to make lots of desserts and drinks! Read more here.
Maesil Cheong | Raw Korean Plum Extract | Syrup Recipe & Uses
Maesil cheong is a delicious, fragrant, tart, fresh, and sweet raw Korean syrup made with a Korean plum called maesil. Learn the recipe and what to use it for.
Lemon Cheong Recipe | How to Make Korean Raw Lemon Syrup
This zesty, citrusy, and vibrant lemon cheong recipe can be used in so many Korean cuisines! Learn how to make Korean raw lemon syrup packed with vitamin C.
Tangerine Cheong Recipe | How to Make Korean Tangerine Syrup
Try this Korean tangerine cheong recipe. You can get both the zesty, sweet tangerine syrup and the marmalade in one recipe! Learn more.
Raw Black Cherry Syrup Recipe | All About Cherry Cheong
Learn how to make an easy, raw, homemade cherry syrup that is packed with flavors and nutrients! Using the Korean Cheong method, this is a healthy syrup.
Apple Cheong Recipe | How to Make Apple Syrup
Apple cheong is a Korean raw apple syrup that is packed with sweet and tart flavors. Make apple cheong with any kind of apple with this recipe. Learn more.
Raspberry Cheong | How to Make Korean Raw Raspberry Syrup
Raspberry cheong is a raw Korean syrup. It is packed with fresh raspberry flavors, scents, colors, and nutrients! Learn this versatile raspberry cheong recipe.
Summary of How to Make Cheong Syrup with Any Fruits and Vegetables
I hope you enjoyed this post and learned a few things about how to make cheong and syrup. Once you learn this and try a few recipes, then you will be able to make your cheong to your own liking! For instance, my mom uses a 4:5 ratio of sugar to maesil when making maesil cheongs, because she thinks a 1:1 ratio of sugar to maesil is too sweet and syrupy.
I hope you liked this post, and I will see you again with another delicious post!
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