Glace Cherries (Kopie)

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Ingredients
•2 cups granulated sugar
•1/2 cup water
•1 pound fresh cherries
•1/2 fresh lemon, washed
•1 cup unsweetened apple juice

Instructions
Wash, stem, and pit cherries. Combine sugar and water with wire whisk in large saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Add cherries and lemon half, reduce heat to low and simmer about 20 minutes, until syrup is red and thickening. Remove from heat, transfer to covered, airtight container, and let stand several hours (or overnight). Strain cherries, reserving syrup, and discard lemon half. Combine syrup and apple juice in large (clean) saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil 5 minutes, add cherries, then reduce heat to low and cook until syrup is thick, around 220 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer.