You can make small batches of Homemade Jam with fresh, seasonal fruit in under an hour. It’s not difficult and you can add as much or as little sugar as you want.
Homemade Jam – Mixed Berry and Stone Fruit Jam
I am in LOVE with fresh fruit this summer. I seriously bought bags and bags of fruit and have been turning to them more than cookies. I figure it’s got to be a better choice and you can’t beat the yummy goodness of fruit!
This week, I’m making breakfast. Stuffed French Toast to be exact. Your weekend will thank you for making these wonderful recipes.
A few days ago I decided I was finally going to conquer my fear of making jam. I was nervous about the amount of sugar, about the amount of fruit, about boiling water for the jars, about it tasting good… But, I found little packets of Ball Low or No-Sugar Needed Pectin
and because it just makes a cup of jam, I figured I wouldn’t be out of too much fruit.
One packet only needs two cups of fruit, so that’s not a total waste of my precious berries.
The first Jam I made was a mixed berry jam that was made with Strawberries, Blueberries, and Wineberries. You can use raspberries if you don’t mind the seeds, but I would strain out some of the seeds first. I still have wineberries from my Galette that I froze, so I used those.
I decided not to add any sweetener to this jam, however, the strawberries were a bit tart and the jam wasn’t very sweet. I wish I had added a least a tablespoon of sugar or honey to it. Oh well, next time.
The second Jam I made on a whim. I had just bought a bag of Nectarines and a bag of Pluots.
Never heard of a Pluot. Well, my mother hadn’t and thought I was crazy! A Pluot is a hybrid of a Plum and an Apricot. They are sweet and juicy like a plum, but with the extra character of an apricot. They are so good!
I found them at my grocery store in a bag labeled “Dino Eggs”. I guess they are targeting kids to get their parents to buy these strange Dino Egg fruits. Whatever it takes I guess…
For the Nectarine and Pluot Jam I did add a tablespoon of sugar, just to see the difference. Everyone liked this jam much, much better.
oh, and also, I left the skins on. It’s your choice to skin them or not. I liked the extra pulp in my jam.
This recipe is part one of a three part recipe series for Stuffed French Toast with Homemade White Bread.
Homemade Jam
Seasonal Sweet Berries and Stone Fruit make wonderful jams that you can make as sweet or tart as you like.
Ingredients
Nectarine and Pluot Jam
- 2 nectarines
- 1 pluot
- 1 packet of Low or No Sugar needed Pectin
- 1/3 cup water or unsweetened fruit juice
- 3 tsp lemon juice
- (sugar, honey, or artificial sweetener can be added if desired)
Mixed Berry Jam
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup wineberries
- 1 packet of Low or No Sugar needed Pectin
- 1/3 cup water or unsweetened fruit juice
- 3 tsp lemon juice
- (sugar, honey, or artificial sweetener can be added if desired)
Instructions
- Prepare the fruit, by cleaning, hulling, and slicing if necessary.
- Prepare two 1 cup jars with a water bath. Basically, take the tops off and dunk the jars into the water until they are covered. Bring the water to a boil and heat up those jars.
- Place fruit, fruit juice or water, and lemon juice into a saucepan over medium-high heat. Slowly add in the packet of Pectin and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil.
- The mixture will be ready for the sugar when it can no longer be stirred down. Add the sugar if you’re using it and then return the mixture to a boil for 1 minute. Stir it constantly and remove any foam that may form.
To Preserve long term
Dump the water out of the jars and stand them up in the boiling water. Do not let water get inside. Ladle the hot jam into the hot jars using extreme caution. Place the lids onto the jars and allow them to boil, submerged in the water, for 5 minutes. Remove to a towel and let them cool for several hours. The top should suction down after a few hours of cooling.
To Enjoy now
Ladle the hot jam into the hot jars using extreme caution. Place the lids onto the jars and allow them to cool on the counter for an hour before placing them into the fridge. Refrigerate for up to three weeks.
Images, text and all other content Copyrighted©Karyn Granrud, Susanne Queck and Wunderlander Verlag LLC, or ©Pro Stock Media via Canva.com. Unlicensed republishing permitted. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn on qualified purchases.
