Ellie Topp - The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving: Over 300 Recipes to Use Year-Round

Serving Suggestions

Add jam to some plain yogurt to make personalized fruit-flavored yogurts. Or mix yogurt, jam and a ripe banana in a blender to make a refreshing smoothie. Jams can be used to make a quick trifle. Spread ladyfingers with jam and top with a custard sauce. Spoonfuls of jam are a perfect topping for a plain cheesecake or a filling for a jelly roll cake. And, of course, breakfast toast would be nothing without jam.

Tip: A small amount of sugar added to fruit that is being frozen results in better flavor retention. But remember to reduce the sugar in your recipe by the amount added to the frozen fruit.

Elegant Oven Strawberry Jam

An early version of this amazingly successful recipe appeared in The Laura Secord Canadian Cookbook under the name of Sunshine Strawberry Jam. The briefly cooked berries were set in the sun for 2 to 3 days to allow evaporation. Modern convection ovens greatly speed up this process and avoid the problem of crawlies getting to the jam before it is finished.

8 cups (2 L) halved or quartered firm strawberries, (depending on size)

4 cups (1 L) granulated sugar

cup (50 mL) balsamic vinegar or lemon juice

1. Combine berries and sugar in a very large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Let stand for 2 hours, stirring several times.
2. Add vinegar and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
3. Pour into two 13 x 9-inch (3.5 L) glass baking dishes and place in a convection or standard oven at 150F (65C). Bake until mixture is thickened and will form a gel, about 3 hours for convection and 10 hours for standard, stirring occasionally.
4. Ladle into hot jars and process for 10 minutes.

Makes 4 cups (1 L).

Variation

Herb Strawberry Jam

Insert a sprig of fresh mint or basil in each jar before filling with jam.

Favorite Strawberry Jam

Generations have made strawberry jam to preserve this favorite summer fruit. Traditionally, low-pectin strawberries are cooked for long periods to achieve a gel. Our method uses standing periods alternating with much shorter cooking times. It makes a jam that retains its lovely red color and fresh flavor.

4 cups (1 L) halved or quartered firm strawberries, (depending on size)

2 cups (500 mL) granulated sugar

cup (50 mL) lemon juice

1. Mix berries and sugar and let stand for 8 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Place berry mixture in a medium stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add lemon juice, return to a boil and boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 24 hours.
3. Bring berries to a full boil over high heat and boil rapidly for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
4. Ladle into hot jars and process for 10 minutes as directed on in

Makes 2 cups (625 mL).

Variation

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Add 1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped rhubarb to strawberries in step 1.

Makes 3 cups (750 mL).

Sherried Strawberry Preserve

Whole strawberries with a hint of sherry are suspended in this delightful preserve. A perfect accompaniment to fresh biscuits. Stir before serving to break gel and distribute fruit.

5 cups (1.25 L) whole small rm strawberries (about 2 pints)

4 cups (1 L) granulated sugar

3 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice

1 pouch liquid fruit pectin

cup (125 mL) medium-dry sherry

1. Stir together berries, sugar and lemon juice in a large bowl. Cover and let stand for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Place berries in a very large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil rapidly for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in pectin and sherry.
3. Ladle into hot jars and process for 10 minutes as directed in

Makes

5 cups (1.3 L) (1.4 L).

Variation

Strawberry Preserves with White Wine

Use white wine in place of the sherry for a more delicate avor.

Fresh Fig and Strawberry Jam

This jam is so good it disappears from the shelf. The fresh figs lend an amazing texture and taste to the strawberries. Be sure to make as much of it as jar and cupboard space allows whenever you can get your hands on fresh figs. Otherwise you may be like Margaretshe raved about it and then gave away so many jars she didnt have any left for herself!

1 lb (500 g) fresh green figs, stemmed and cut into small pieces

2 cups (500 mL) quartered firm strawberries

2 cups (500 mL) granulated sugar

3 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice

1. Place figs, strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Cover and let stand for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium and boil rapidly, uncovered, until mixture will form a gel, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
3. Ladle into hot jars and process for 10 minutes as directed in

Makes about 4 cups (1 L).

Tip: Fresh figs have a longer season than we realized. California figs are ready in May and are also available from Greece and Italy in late summer and fall. If you missed them, occasionally you can find figs from South America in the late fall and early winter. Remember that fresh figs are extremely perishable and should be used as soon as possible after purchase. They may be stored in a refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Festive Cranstrawberry Jam

This jams ruby-rich appearance is just right with festive Christmas food. It adds great color to your breakfast table and wonderful taste to toast and muffins all year round.

1 pkg (15 oz/425 g) frozen sliced strawberries in light syrup, thawed

2 cups (500 mL) fresh or frozen cranberries

1 large unpeeled orange, cut into large pieces

3 cups (750 mL) granulated sugar

1 pouch liquid fruit pectin

2 tbsp (30 mL) orange liqueur or frozen orange juice concentrate

1. Place strawberries in a very large stainless steel or enamel saucepan.
2. Coarsely chop cranberries and orange in a food processor. Remove and add to saucepan. Stir in sugar. Bring to a full boil over high heat and boil hard for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in pectin and liqueur.
3. Ladle into hot jars and process for 10 minutes as directed in

Makes 6 cups (1.5 L).

Serving Suggestion:

Cinnamon Tortilla Roll-ups

An interesting use for this jam as well as many others.

Warm a small flour tortilla in either the microwave oven or in a non-stick skillet. Mix 1 tbsp (15 mL) each of plain low-fat yogurt, low-fat ricotta cheese and 1 tsp (5 mL) Festive Cranstrawberry Jam. Spread mixture evenly over tortilla, add a dash of ground cinnamon or nutmeg, roll up and enjoy.

Four Fruit Red Jam

Use fresh or frozen fruit, but remember to measure frozen fruit before thawing and thaw before crushing.

2 cups (500 mL) raspberries or loganberries, crushed

2 cups (500 mL) red currants, crushed

2 cups (500 mL) sliced strawberries, crushed

1 cups (300 mL) chopped sour cherries

4 cups (1 L) granulated sugar

cup (50 mL) lemon juice

1. Place raspberries, currants, strawberries, cherries, sugar and lemon juice in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boil rapidly, uncovered, until mixture will form a gel, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.