Prickly Pear Jam Food

PRICKLY PEAR JELLY

Steps:

• Simmer 3 pint-size jars in a large pot of water until ready for use. Wash lids and rings in warm soapy water.
• Slice ends off each prickly pear. Make 1 long vertical slit down each one. Use the slit to hold the skin and peel off. Discard peel.
• Place peeled pears in a blender; puree in batches until liquefied. Press puree through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Discard pulp and seeds.
• Measure out 3 cups prickly pear juice, lemon juice, and pectin into a large pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar and return to a boil, stirring constantly. Let cook, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Pour prickly pear mixture into hot jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars 2 inches apart into the boiling water using a holder. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the stockpot, and process for 15 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the pot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, and let cool, at least 24 hours.

PRICKLY PEAR JAM

Steps:

• Inspect 1 quart jar and 1 pint jar for cracks and rings for rust, discarding any that are defective. Immerse in simmering water until jam is ready. Wash new, unused lids and rings in warm soapy water.
• Wear protective gloves to rub and rinse the prickly pears under running water to make sure all spines are removed. Cut each pear in half and scoop pulp and seeds into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for 30 to 40 seconds. Transfer mixture to a strainer lined with cheesecloth set over a bowl. Gather cheesecloth into a pouch and squeeze out juice. Remove any remaining pulp from the seeds and add to the bowl with the juice.
• Combine prickly pear juice, pectin, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil that can't be stirred down. Add sugar and amaretto and stir until completely dissolved. Return mixture to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Cook until jam is reduced by half, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove jam from heat and skim off and discard any froth that may have formed. Dip a metal spoon into the jam to test for desired thickness. Add another 1/2 teaspoon of pectin and boil for 1 minute more if a thicker jam is desired.
• Pack jam into hot, sterilized jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a clean knife or thin spatula around the insides of the jars to remove any air bubbles. Wipe rims with a moist paper towel to remove any spills. Top with lids and screw rings on tightly.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars 2 inches apart into the boiling water using a holder. Pour in more boiling water to cover jars by at least 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil, cover, and process for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and let rest, several inches apart, for 12 to 24 hours. Press the center of each lid with a finger to ensure the lid does not move up or down. Remove the rings for storage and store in a cool, dark area.

PRICKLY PEAR JELLY

Steps:

• 1. Cut up singed, underipe fruit, cover cover with water and boil 15 to 20 minutes or until fruit is tender.
• 2. Press through a sieve then allow to drip from jelly bag to collect juice
• 3. Add pectin to prickly pear and lemon juice's and bring to hard, rough-and -tumble boil that cannot be stired down.
• 4. Add the seven cups of sugar and hard boil for 5 minutes. Skim, pour into sterilized jelly glasses and seal.

QUINCE AND PRICKLY PEAR CROQUEMBOUCHE

Steps:

• For the pate a choux: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment.
• Bring the milk and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, until a carpet, or thick film, forms on the bottom of the pan. Add the mixture to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment while still hot. Turn to medium speed and beat, adding one egg at a time, until fully combined and glossy.
• Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 2-inch balls spaced about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets (you should have about 55 balls). Bake until golden brown, about 22 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and bake another 15 minutes to dry them out.
• Let the puffs cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to racks and let cool completely before filling, preferably overnight. Puncture small holes in the base of each puff and set aside to fill.
• For the quince and prickly pear jam: Heat the quince paste, prickly pear juice and vanilla extract in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until fully combined. Let cool completely. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip. Pipe the jam into the pate a choux puffs through the holes in the bottoms, filling the puffs halfway.
• For the vanilla bean whipped cream: Beat the cream and vanilla paste together in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until beginning to thicken. Slowly add the sugar and beat just until stiff. Then stop!
• Transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with a medium tip. Pipe the cream into the pate a choux puffs.
• For the treacle maple syrup: Combine the treacle, maple syrup and vanilla bean paste in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let cool halfway so it is still liquid.
• To assemble the croquembouche: Dip each filled pate a choux puff into the treacle syrup and stack on a serving tray to build a tower. Let set, 20 to 30 minutes.
• For the crisp caramel sugar: Heat the sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, making sure not to stir. Cook until melted and golden brown. Allow to cool halfway.
• Dip a sugar wand or whisk into the caramel and quickly wave it in circles around the tower to create caramel strands. Repeat to create a wispy caramel cage. Serve immediately.

TUNA ( PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS FRUIT ) JELLY

Steps:

• Pluck the fruit from the cactus with a long handled fork or tongs.
• Put on rubber gloves to protect your hands: wash fruit under running water, then use a brush to clean (spines left on the fruit will soften during the cooking process and should come off after the fruit is strained).
• Place in stockpot with about a cup of water.
• Stir until boiling, cover pan and simmer until tender and soft.
• Mash cooked fruit and strain using cheesecloth, a jelly bag or a fine sieve; set aside for juice to settle (for very clear jelly, do not use the portion containing sediment).
• Measure sugar into a separate pan.
• Bring juice and pectin just to boil, stirring constantly, and begin to add sugar slowly with constant stirring, taking about 5 minutes to add sugar, and keeping juice nearly at a boil.
• Then bring to a rolling boil and boil for three minutes longer.
• Remove from heat, let stand a few seconds, skim, pour quickly into jars and seal while hot.
• Process for ten minutes in a boiling water bath.

BEACHCOMBER'S PRICKLY PEAR JELLY

Steps:

• Harvest tunas (prickly pear fruits) wearing thick gloves. A 2 quart colander full to top should yield about 8 cups juice. Be sure to include a few that still are a wee bit green if possible. Do NOT handle these with bare hands (you will be sorry because they are deceptive- she writes while gnawing at her right thumb pad - LOL).
• Rinse the fruits in a colander (we have a lot of salt spray here). Then put them in a large nonreactive kettle with the 2 cups of water. Cover & bring to rapid simmer. Simmer until fruit soft - about 30 minutes.
• Ladle now mushy fruits into blender & blend with enough water to make thick slurry. Ok to do this after fruits cool if this recipe has been too high risk up to this point. Otherwise blend when hot but be sure to hold down blender lid with a thick cloth between it & your hand because boiling brilliant magenta juice with tiny tiny spines REALLY hurts! (Clorox cleanup gets it off countertops & walls).
• Pour blended fruits back into pan with residual water & stir.
• Drape 4 layers of cheesecloth in colander (which should sit in another pot or bowl) & dampen.
• Pour or ladle then pour the brilliant magenta fruit slurry into the cheesecloth & gather the edges to twist and squeeze the juice out (need to wait a bit if the mush inside is still hot). Your hands will be stained brilliant magenta if you opt not to wear gloves but the cheesecloth effectively sieves out any little spines.
• Rinse out the initial kettle (use those gloves just to be safe) and pour the strained juice back into it. Add lemon juice. Heat to boil & add the 2 packets of powdered pectin. Bring to a hard boil for 1-2 minutes.
• Add 7 cups of sugar, blend well & bring to a hard boil for 2 minutes.
• Ladle into sterilized 1 cup jars, lid & process in covered hot water bath for 20 minutes. Leave 1/2 inch headroom when filling jars & be sure to have jars in hot water bath covered by at least 2 inches of water.
• Remove from bath & place on flat towel on counter. Jars should "pop" within 5 minutes. ENJOY!

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH PRICKLY PEAR JAM

Steps:

• To Make Jam:
• Wearing rubber gloves, cut a 1/2-inch slice off both ends of each pear and carefully peel off rind and discard. Chop prickly pear and place in food processor and blend until smooth. Strain, extracting as much puree and liquid by pushing down pulp with a rubber spatula.
• Place 1 cup prickly pear puree plus sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat, for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until purée is reduced 1/2 cup. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and cool completely. Once cool stir in lime and orange juice.
• To Make Cake:
• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Prepare cake batter and bake as directed on package for 2 (9-inch) round pans. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 min. Loosen cakes from sides of pans. Invert onto racks; gently remove pans. Cool cakes completely.
• Beat pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. (Pudding will be thick.) Gently stir in whipped topping.
• Place 1 cake layer on plate; spread with jam. Top with layers of half each of the pudding mixture and prickly pears; cover with remaining cake layer. Top with remaining pudding mixture.
• Refrigerate 1 hour. Top with chocolate shavings and prickly pear slices just before serving.

PRICKLY PEAR JAM

Steps:

• Put the sugar, water in a pot and bring to a boil.Place the prepared and peeled prickly pears, lemon juice and cumin in the syrup.Cook slowly for as ¾ hours until soft and transparent.Bottle in sanitized jars and store.Recipe reprinted with permission of LifeIsaZooBiscuit. To see more recipes, click here.