Pectin—a naturally occurring polysaccharide in fruit—is what makes jam gel. Completely different fruits naturally comprise roughly pectin, so, whilst you by no means want to fret a couple of Seville orange marmalade or quince jelly getting a correct set (until you undercook or overcook them), some low-pectin fruits, like cherries and pears, don’t gel so simply.
Excessive-pectin fruits embody apples, citrus, currants, cranberries, gooseberries, plums, and quince. On the decrease finish of the pectin spectrum are blueberries, cherries, peaches, pears, and strawberries. You should additionally take the fruit’s diploma of ripeness into consideration, nevertheless. The riper the fruit, the much less pure pectin it incorporates. For the most effective jams and jellies, purpose for a mix of 75% completely ripe fruit and 25% barely underripe fruit.
This recipe, which could be adjusted to function quite a lot of totally different fruits, is tailored from the essential jam recipe in Camilla Wynne’s e book Jam Bake: Inspired Recipes for Creating and Baking with Preserves.
Featured in: “How to Quickly and Safely Can Jams and Jellies.”
Plum and Raspberry Jam
Neglect the store-bought stuff. DIY preserves are the sweetest strategy to lengthen your summer season.
Yield: makes Three 8-oz. jars
Time:
2 hours plus 24 hours of resting
Elements
- 1 lb. 1½ oz. raspberries (3¾ cups)
- 1 lb. 1½ oz. pitted plums, finely chopped (3 cups)
- 1 lb. 3 oz. sugar (2½ cups)
- 3 tbsp. recent lemon juice
- 2 small cinnamon sticks
- 3 star anise pods
Directions
- To a big bowl, add the berries, plums, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and star anise, and toss to mix. Cowl and mascerate for at the very least quarter-hour or as much as 1 week. (If mascerating for longer than 24 hours, switch to the fridge.)
- Sanitize your jars: Preheat the oven to 250°F. Wash three 8-ounce mason jars and place them the wrong way up on a baking sheet, reserving your ring bands and unused snap lids. Switch the jars to the oven and bake for at the very least 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, make the jam: To a large, heavy-bottomed pot, switch the fruit combination, then carry to a boil over medium-high warmth and prepare dinner, stirring sometimes, till the bubbles are sputtering violently, the floor is shiny and jewel-like, and the jam is thick when stirred with a silicone spatula (that is the “setting level”), round 15–20 minutes. (The jam ought to slide off the spatula in sheets or clumps or attempt to cling to the spatula once you carry it to eye degree. For those who’re unsure, pour a teaspoon of jam on an ice chilly plate and place within the freezer for 2 minutes. Take away and run your finger by way of the jam. If it has fashioned a pores and skin and elements evenly, it’s prepared; if not, proceed cooking 3–4 minutes extra.
- When the jam is able to be added to the jars, take away them from the oven and flip them over rigorously. Working over the sheet pan and utilizing a funnel or ladle, fill the jars to inside ¼ to ⅛ inch of the rim. Faucet the jars gently or use an air bubble remover, then wipe the edges clear of any drips or splatters. Place the snap lids on the jars and screw the ring bands on tightly. As soon as crammed, invert the jars for two minutes, then flip proper aspect up. Put aside and don’t disturb for twenty-four hours; if canned correctly, the jam will probably be scorching sufficient to create a vacuum and seal the jars closed.
