Strawberry Grapefruit Jam

I love sweetened grapefruit - it's zesty and delicious.  I wanted to put that bright flavor into a jam.  Strawberries and oranges go so well together, that I thought it might make a good pairing with grapefruit, too.  And it did.  The color is beautiful.  And the flavors are perfect - this jam tastes like sunshine!  A must try!

Strawberry Grapefruit Jam

Katie Christy

Ingredients:

16 oz strawberries (frozen, thawed work perfectly)

1 tbsp grapefruit zest (from about 2 large fruits - Ruby Red preferred)

1 cup grapefruit sections: peel, pith, membrane, & seeds removed (from about 2 large fruits)

1 package powdered pectin (1.75 oz - I used Sure-Jell)

5 cups sugar

Directions:

1.  Prepare canning jars, lids and rings, a funnel and ladle, and a canner.  This recipe makes 5 half-pint jars.

2.  Mash the strawberries with a masher OR pulse them in a food processor.  No large pieces should remain.  Cut the grapefruit into small pieces (double check that it is fruit only - remove all pith & membrane).

3.  In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, combine the strawberries, zest, grapefruit, and pectin.  Set the pot over high heat.  Cook, stirring often, until the mixture comes to a boil.

4.  Stir in the sugar and return the mixture to a rolling boil.  Boil hard for one minute.

5.  Remove the pot from the heat.  Let the mixture settle for about a minute.  Skim off any foam (later, you can stir this to deflate the bubbles and use it - it tastes perfect, it just isn't suitable for canning).  

6.  Ladle the jam into the prepared jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Clean the rims.  Attach the lids and rings.

7.  Process the jars in the canner for 10 minutes.

8.  Transfer the jars to a rack to cool completely.

Spiced Cranberry Raspberry Jam

This is my new favorite jam.  It is unspeakably delicious.
The flavors are sweet raspberries, tart cranberries, bright orange, and warm spices.  All the loveliness of Autumn.  It's almost like a spiced cranberry sauce, but spreadable and sweet.  So very yummy!
This recipe is adapted from All Recipes.  I have also posted a plain Cranberry Raspberry Jam (adapted from the same recipe).  If you're not a fan of Fall spices, you might give that one a try - it is super-tasty.
Happy jamming!

Spiced Cran-Raspberry Jam

Adapted from All Recipes

Ingredients:

16 oz cranberries (frozen, thawed work perfectly - this equals a 1 lb bag)

24 oz raspberries (frozen, thawed work perfectly - this equals two 12 oz bags) 

1 package powdered pectin (1.75 oz - I used Sure-Jell)

1/4 cup fresh orange juice (or water)

Rounded 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

5 cups sugar

Rounded 1/2 tsp orange zest

Directions:

1.  Prepare canning jars, lids and rings, a funnel and ladle, and a canner.  This recipe makes 7 half-pint jars.

2.  Place the cranberries in a food processor.  Pulse until rough-chopped.  This can also be done by hand.

3.  In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, combine the berries, pectin, juice, and spice.  Set the pot over high heat.  Cook, stirring often, until the mixture comes to a boil.

4.  Stir in the sugar and zest.  Return the mixture to a rolling boil.  Boil hard for one minute.

5.  Remove the pot from the heat.  Skim off any foam (later, you can stir this to deflate the bubbles and use it - it tastes perfect, it just isn't suitable for canning).  

6.  Ladle the jam into the prepared jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Clean the rims.  Attach the lids and rings.

7.  Process the jars in the canner for 10 minutes.

8.  Transfer the jars to a rack to cool completely.

*I have successfully made a half-batch of this recipe.  Use a kitchen scale to measure the berries and pectin.

Cranberry Raspberry Jam

We are gathered here today to join these berries in culinary matrimony.  By the power vested in me, I pronounce them tasty jam.
This recipe is adapted from one at All Recipes.  It is truly a winner, absolutely delicious, a perfect union.

Cranberry Raspberry Jam

Adapted from All Recipes

Ingredients:

16 oz cranberries (frozen, thawed work perfectly - this equals a 1 lb bag)

24 oz raspberries (frozen, thawed work perfectly - this equals two 12 oz bags) 

1 package powdered pectin (1.75 oz - I used Sure-Jell)

1/4 cup water

5 cups sugar

Directions:

1.  Prepare canning jars, lids and rings, a funnel and ladle, and a canner.  This recipe makes 7 half-pint jars.

2.  Place the cranberries in a food processor.  Pulse until rough-chopped.  This can also be done by hand.

3.  In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, combine the berries, pectin, and water.  Set the pot over high heat.  Cook, stirring often, until the mixture comes to a boil.

4.  Stir in the sugar.  Return the mixture to a rolling boil.  Boil hard for one minute.

5.  Remove the pot from the heat.  Skim off any foam (later, you can stir this to deflate the bubbles and use it - it tastes perfect, it just isn't suitable for canning).  

6.  Ladle the jam into the prepared jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Clean the rims.  Attach the lids and rings.

7.  Process the jars in the canner for 10 minutes.

8.  Transfer the jars to a rack to cool completely.

*I have successfully made a half-batch of this recipe.  Use a kitchen scale to measure the berries and pectin.

Golden Honeydew Jelly

I don't know if golden honeydews have a later growing season, a longer growing season, or if they were harvested later this year, but there was a big bin of them at the store.  I grabbed one. A farewell to summer.
I recently happened upon a watermelon jelly recipe.  Now, I'm not usually a jelly person (I prefer jam and preserves), but this one looked tasty and unique.  And, I thought, if it could work for one melon, why not another?
This recipe is adapted from one, credited to Ball, at Barefoot Kitchen Witch.  You'll notice a strange ingredient - vinegar.  This one definitely gave me pause (and, the smell during cooking wasn't very reassuring either).  It turns out, though, that Ball really knew what they were doing.  The resulting jelly is delicious!  Like candied melon.
This is a really great jelly.  I can already tell I'll be making this in summers to come!

Golden Honeydew Jelly

Adapted from Barefoot Kitchen Witch

Ingredients:

2 cups strained melon juice

4 tbsp lemon juice

5 cups sugar

1/2 cup white balsamic or white wine vinegar

6 oz (2 pouches) liquid pectin (I used Certo)

*I used a juicer to get the melon juice.  My one melon made about 3 3/4 cups.

Directions:

1.  Get ready a canning pot and five 8-oz canning jars with lids and rings (sterilize according to manufacturer instruction).

2.  Combine the juices, sugar, and vinegar in a stock pot or Dutch oven.  Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.  

3.  When the mixture is at a full rolling boil, stir in the pectin.  Boil hard, stirring constantly, for one minute longer.  Remove the pan from the heat.

4.  Skim off any foam.

5.  Pour the jelly into the prepared jars, leaving 1/4" head space.  Apply the lids and rings (only finger-tight).

6.  Place the jars in the canning pot (in a canning basket or on a rack that fits into the pot).  There must be enough water to cover the jars.  Bring the water to a boil.  Process for 10 minutes and remove the pot from the heat.

7.  Leave the jars in the water for 5 minutes.  Transfer the jars to a rack to cool completely.

Blackberry Curd

Nothing like a nice sweet blackberry!  They are so delicious in beverages, jams, cookies, and pies.  And now I know, lovely in curd, too!
Curd, while having a pretty awful name, is a truly wonderful thing.  If you've never had it, you must!  For me, nothing beats lemon curd.  But this blackberry sure gives it a run for its money!  I am currently contemplating a dessert using both together...ahhh, I can hardly wait!  Anyway, curd is a smooth, intensely-flavored fruit spread.  It's used on things like cakes, pastries, and biscuits (or directly from spoon to mouth).

This recipe is adapted from Alchemy in the Kitchen.  When I first read the words "blackberry" and "curd", I was hooked!  After all, tis the season and I've got a whole bowlful of fresh berries in the fridge just begging to be used in something so scrumptious!
Making the curd is easy, but takes about a half an hour plus cooling time.  I'm pretty sure there will be some future posts with this as an ingredient...if my son doesn't eat it all first, that is!

Blackberry Curd

Adapted from Alchemy in the Kitchen

Ingredients:

3 eggs + 1 egg yolk

1 1/4 cups fresh blackberry juice (made from pressing about 14 oz of berries through a strainer)

2 cups sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

6 tbsp cold butter, cut into cubes

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1.  Put a strainer over a clean, medium, heat-safe bowl.  Set aside.

2.  Beat the eggs with a whisk in a large saucepan.  Whisk in the berry juice.  Whisk in the sugar and then the lemon juice.

3.  Set the pan over medium heat.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened.  The hot curd should coat the back of a metal spoon.  You should be able to run your finger through it and have the line stay as you made it.  This will take about 15-20 minutes.

4.  Pour the mixture through the strainer, into the bowl.  Whisk in the cold butter and then the vanilla.

5.  Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly over the curd (so that it doesn't form a skin).  Let the mixture cool.  Then, cover and chill until cold.