Spiced Peach Plum Jam Food

PEACH PLUM JAM

Steps:

• In a large pot combine peaches, plums, lemon juice and sugar.
• Cook, stiring, over med-high heat until sugar is melted.
• Bring to a rolling boil.
• Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Add 2 pouches of Certo, stirring constantly.
• Return to a rolling boil.
• Boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat.
• Skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
• Fill Hot sterile jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
• Wipe off jar rims with damp cloth.
• Top with 2 piece seal and ring.
• Hot water bath jars for 10 minutes.

FRESH SPICED PEACH JAM

Steps:

• Heat five 12-ounce jars in simmering water until ready for use. Wash lids and rings in warm soapy water.
• Mix peaches, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in a large pot. Bring to a boil; cook, stirring occasionally, until peaches are soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Mash peaches with an immersion blender or potato masher to desired size and texture. Return to the heat; continue cooking jam until thickened, about 10 minutes more.
• Pack jam into hot jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Wipe rims with a clean, damp cloth. Top with lids and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower in jars using a holder, placing them 2 inches apart. Pour in more boiling water to cover the jars by at least 1 inch. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool, about 12 hours. Press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that lid does not move up or down and seal is tight.

STONE FRUIT JAM

Steps:

• Toss fruit and sugar together in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Let sit for at least 15 minutes or up to overnight, tossing periodically to coat and to dissolve the sugar. (This will help coax the juices out of the fruit.)
• Place a small plate in the refrigerator to chill. (You'll use this later.)
• Bring the fruit to a strong simmer over medium heat until the skins burst and the juices start to boil, 10 to 15 minutes. If using a vanilla bean as an add-in, put it in the pot now.
• Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook the jam, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or spatula at first and more frequently as juices thicken until most of the liquid has evaporated and the fruit has begun to break down, about 25 to 35 minutes. How much it breaks down will depend on the type of fruit and how ripe it is. (For example, peaches are likely to retain their shape, while plums and apricots will break down almost entirely.)
• As the jam cooks, the liquid reduces, the sugars thicken and the natural pectins activate. You'll notice the liquid go from a rapid, rolling boil with smaller bubbles to a slow, thick, tarlike boil with larger bubbles. This is the stage at which it's most important to stir constantly along the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching and sticking. (Sugar is heavier than water and will concentrate there, increasing the chance that the fruit will burn.) It's also the stage at which splattering may occur, so take care in stirring.
• When the jam reaches a slow, thick boil, add lemon juice and any of the add-ins (see note). Continue to cook, stirring constantly until the jam has returned to its previously thickened state, about another 5 minutes. To test the consistency, spoon a bit of jam onto the chilled plate, return it to the refrigerator and chill for 2 minutes. Drag your finger through it: It should hold its shape on either side without appearing watery or runny. If it's not there yet, cook it a few minutes more.
• Remove from heat, and pick out vanilla bean, if you added it earlier. Divide between jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top of the jar, and seal immediately. Can the jams (see our How to Make Jam guide for more instruction), or store in the refrigerator, using them up within a couple of weeks.

SPICED PEACH PLUM JAM

Steps:

• Peel the peaches.
• Slice peaches and plums (no need to peel the plums) into sections around the pits and place into your pot.
• Add the rest of the ingredients.
• Heat over medium heat to bring to a boil.
• Keep at a low boil until the fruit is very soft, about 25 minutes.
• Remove the sprig of rosemary, and run the rest of the mixture through the medium disc of your food mill.
• Return to the pot and continue boiling until thick and jammy, another 20-25 minutes.
• Taste and adjust any seasonings.
• Pour into clean jars, and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
• Enjoy!

SPICED PEACH JAM

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a heavy large pot; stir to combine. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain an even boil.
• While the mixture boils, mash fruit with a potato masher to desired consistency. Boil an additional 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, or until slightly thickened (you'll see the bottom of the pot when stirring) and set.** (Temperature should be about 221 F.) Remove from heat; remove cinnamon stick.
• Pour hot jam into 4 sterilized 8-oz. jars. Carefully wipe jar rims; cover. (Jam can be made up to 1 month ahead and refigerated or up to 6 months ahead and frozen.) To store at room temperature, immediately process in a boiling water bath for 5 five minutes.
• Tips: * To peel peaches, drop peaches into larg pot of boiling water; boil 30 seconds or until peach skins loosen. Remove with slotted spoon; drop into ice water to cool. Use a knife to peel away skins.
• ** To test jam, before you begin cooking, place a small plate into the freezer to chill. When jam begins to thicken slightly, place a small amount of jam on chilled plate; return to freezer for 1 to 2 minutes (remove jam from heat during testing time). When set, jam will be slightly set and will not run on plate. If jam is too liquid, cook an addition 1 to 2 minutes before testing again.

PEACH PLUM JAM

Steps:

• 1. Prepare waterbath canner by placing clean jars on rack and fill pot and jars with hot water till it just barely covers the jars, then bring to a boil. Once the water begins to boil turn temperature down to simmer and drop in rings and lids.
• 2. Chop peaches and plums.
• 3. In an 8 large pot combine chopped peaches, plums and juice or water. Gradually stir in pectin. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that can not be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.
• 4. Add sugar. Boil hard for 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.
• 5. Remove jars from canner and empty out water. Place jars on a folded towel.
• 6. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, one at a time leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars. Apply bands and adjust to fingertip tight.
• 7. Place filled jars in canner making sure jars are covered by at least 1 to 2 inches of water. Place lid on canner. Bring to water to gentle, steady boil. Process for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let set for an additional 5 minutes.
• 8. Remove jars and place on a folded towel and let cool undisturbed for 24 hours. Check to see if lids are popped down before storing. If they aren't store in fridge.

PEACH-PLUM JAM

Steps:

• Stir together fruit, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved and mashing fruit with a potato masher. Add lemon juice; continue to boil, stirring frequently, until bubbles slow, chunks of fruit show at top, and mixture clings to a spoon but falls off in clumps, 10 to 12 minutes. Skim foam from top.
• Ladle jam into clean containers, leaving 3/4 inch of headroom. Let cool completely. Cover, label, and refrigerate up to 1 month, or freeze up to 1 year.

SPICY PEPPER PLUM JAM

Steps:

• Blend first three ingredients in a blender and transfer to pot with sugar.
• Bring slowly to a boil stirring all the while until sugar dissolves.
• Cook rapidly to the gelling point.
• As it thickens stir frequently to prevent sticking.
• When it's at the gelling point remove and pour into sterilized jars with a 1/4 inch head space.
• Adjust caps and process for 15 minutes in a water bath.

PEACH-AND-PLUM JAM

Steps:

• Pit peaches and plums and coarsely chop into pieces slightly smaller than 1/2 inch. Combine fruit, sugar, water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and salt in a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil (do not stir) until mixture begins to thicken, about 18 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is thickened and jamlike, about 30 minutes. Add more lemon juice to taste, then let cool completely.

SPICED PURPLE PLUM JAM

Steps:

• Submerge 6 empty half-pint jars on a rack in a large pot of water. Cover and bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to low to keep jars warm until ready to fill.
• Tumble plums, lemon zest, and lemon juice into a wide, nonreactive 8-quart pot. Whisk together sugar, pectin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a small bowl, then stir into pot until combined.
• Bring to a vigorous boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook, stirring frequently and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a gentle boil, until volume has reduced by at least one-third, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pot from heat and check for set.
• Working with one jar at a time, remove empty jars from canning pot. Using a wide-mouth funnel, carefully ladle jam into jars, leaving 1/2 inch for headspace. Use a clean wooden chopstick to work air bubbles out of jars. Check headspace again and add more jam if necessary to bring to 1/2 inch from the top.
• Wipe jar rims, apply lids and bands (not too tightly), and return jars to canning pot; cover pot and return water to a rolling boil. Process 10 minutes. Turn off heat, remove pot lid, and let jars stand in the cooling water 5 minutes to help ensure a good vacuum seal.
• Move jars to a folded kitchen towel or wooden cutting board to cool completely before checking seals. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and eaten promptly. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place. They are shelf-stable at least 1 year.