Peaches, apricots and plums. Even if we can’t eat them fresh year round, we can jar them! So – let’s make some jam!
But first, it’s important to know that all fruit preserves are not created equal – and there’s a difference between jam and marmalade! (In other words, you can’t just use the terms interchangeably.) The only ones you can call ‘marmalade’ are the varieties made with citrus fruit – keep that in mind! So – apricots, peaches, plums, apples and strawberries are used to make ‘jam,’ while lemons, oranges, grapefruits and mandarins are used to make marmalade. Got it? Good!
Oh, and then there’s a difference in the amount of sugar added to the other ingredients, as well. But the recipe? It’s the same.
For this particular guide, we’re focusing on jam, since we’re at the end of the summer season, but it all depends on which ingredients you prefer to use! First things first, though: Before you start cooking, you’ll need to sterilize everything.
Choose the (untreated) ripe fruit you want for your jam and get ready to chop and mix for about an hour or so: Arm yourself with a large pot and a wooden spoon. More or less, the rule is always the same: For every kilo of washed and cleaned fruit, use half the amount (or even less) sugar and a little lemon juice. If the jam remains too liquidy, add the peel of an apple, which will act as a natural pectin. That said, you can also enrich the basic recipe as desired, with the spices and flavors you like best.
Your jam will be ready once you can pour it onto a plate and it remains stuck to the plate without sliding. (This is the best way to tell!) Now fill the sterilized jars, screw on the lids and turn them upside down until cooled. And remember to always label your jam – both to remind you of the ingredients and to set the expiration date, which is usually no more than one year. And now, some recipes!
Regina Claudia plum jam
This variety of plums is small and light green in color. It’s also very sweet and soft, making it perfect for jam! Just wash the plums well and remove the pits, Keep the skin on. Cook the plums with the sugar (half the weight of the plums), a little lemon juice and some apple slices with the peel still on. Remove the foam that forms on the surface and stir slowly for about an hour.
Black plum and baked pear jam
This is the ideal recipe if you’re not looking to spend an entire hour stirring. Just cut the fruit and remove the core and seeds (just not the peel). Then place on a baking tray covered with baking parchment and sprinkled with sugar. Roast the fruit at 300°F (150°C) for more than an hour and stir occasionally until you reach the right consistency. The flavor is much more intense than the usual jam made on the stove.
White peach and lavender jam
This jam has a delicious smell and a very special flavor. To make it, first cut some white peaches after peeling and pitting them. Cook them in a large pot with sugar and a sprig of lavender closed inside cheesecloth. Also add lemon juice or water while the fruit cooks. Once the jam is ready, remove the cheesecloth with the lavender and pour everything into jars.
Grape jam
This jam is a typically Abruzzese recipe and is also known as scrucchiata because it’s made by squeezing black grapes between your fingers. To start, wash the grapes very well and squeeze them one at a time between your thumb and forefinger to squeeze out the seeds and pulp. Transfer the squeezed grapes to a large saucepan, first separating the fruit from the seeds of the grapes by using a mesh filter with small holes or a vegetable mill. Cook the sifted pulp, the leftover grape skins and sugar for about two hours over medium heat, occasionally removing the foam that forms on the surface.
Homemade pectin
To make a dense and compact jam, many people use pectin. In fact, it would be enough to add a few apple peels while cooking. To prepare the pectin at home, just boil 1 lb apple peel and cores, the juice of a lemon and 52 cups water. After about 40-50 minutes, filter the liquid and pour it into glass jars. Once closed, the jars are placed in a pot full of water to be sterilized. They must remain immersed in boiling water for at least 30 minutes. For a perfect jam, use a small spoonful of pectin for each kilogram of fruit. Once opened, the pectin will keep for a few weeks.