Hungarian Chilled Sour Cherry Soup (Meggyleves)

Ingredients

• 500 g sour cherries (fresh or frozen, pitted)
• 1 liter water
• 3–4 tbsp sugar (to taste)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2–3 cloves
• 1 strip lemon peel
• 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional, for slight thickening)
• 250 ml sour cream or heavy cream

Instructions

1. In a pot, add cherries, water, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and lemon peel.
2. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 10–15 minutes.
3. (Optional) Mix cornstarch with a little cold water, then stir into the soup to lightly thicken.
4. Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
5. Whisk sour cream (or cream) until smooth.
6. Temper it by mixing a few spoonfuls of warm soup into the cream, then stir everything back into the pot.
7. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2–3 hours.

Serve cold — refreshing, sweet-tart Hungarian summer soup 🇭🇺🍒