We were once again blessed with an abundance of pears from the neighbors after helping them harvest their pear tree, so I decided to experiment with another pear jam combination. This time around we made blueberry pear jam, pairing up the sweetness of the pears with berries, lemon and a touch of vanilla. My husband still prefers the cranberry-pear jam, but my sons gave this combo a “thumbs up”.
Peach Jam Recipes – Peach Vanilla and Fuzzy Navel – Easy, Less Sugar
Each year we buy a couple of cases of peaches from the local Knight's of Columbus fundraiser. Some are eaten fresh, but quite a few are preserved for later. These low sugar peach jam recipes are an annual tradition. (We also enjoy Peach Raspberry Jam.)
We make up at least one batch of each peach jam – usually two. Peach jam is also a great way to use up peaches that are too soft and ripe to be canned on their own.
Peach Raspberry Jam – “Blushing” Peach Jam is a Wonderful Summer Treat
This peach raspberry jam is my husband's new favorite jam of the season. Peach jam and raspberry jam are great by themselves, but peach raspberry jam leads to a new level of “yummy” for your homemade jam.
Mulberry Jam Recipe – Step by Step with Photos – Use Fresh or Frozen Berries
Our neighbors invited us over to pick some of their abundant mulberries, so we decided to make a batch of mulberry jam. We like more fruit and less sugar, so this mulberry jam recipe uses Pomona's Universal Pectin for thickening. You could also use a different low sugar pectin and adjust the recipe accordingly. We prefer Pomona's because it is non-GMO and doesn't change the flavor of the jam or jelly. Using a small amount of commercial pectin reduces cooking time and sugar needed for gelling, giving you more fresh fruit flavor.
Apple Currant Spread – Low Sugar with a Touch of Cinnamon
I came up with this low sugar apple currant spread to use up this year's bumper crop of currants. Since currants are quite tart, currant jelly uses a lot of sugar. Currant seeds are sizable, so I knew a regular jam wouldn't be popular with my family. (Plus, currant jam is still loaded with sugar.) Instead, I cooked up my currants and ran them through the chinois (food mill). This gave a mix of juice and a little bit of puree. I cooked the currant juice/puree up with some applesauce (and cinnamon), but it was still very runny and tart. (Both currants and apples have natural pectin, but not quite enough in this case.) I added sugar for sweetening, and some Pomona's low sugar pectin for thickening. Voila! [Read more…]
