Sorry guys for missing last week. There has been a lot going on. Between work, finals, having to do a dessert table for my aunt's graduation party and catching a cold over that time. To say it's been crazy lately is a huge understatement. I'm still recovering from the illness, so I decided to give you something very easy to make.
Jams, although they seem easy to make, can be more complicated then they need to be. Some people think you need canning jars, pectin and thermometers. All that is not necessary. People are just over complicating it for no reason. This recipe will yield a delicious jam that thickens beautifully in no time. Oh yeah, and it tastes so good! No pectin is needed. No thermometer and no canning jars. Lastly, you can also substitute the strawberries for any other berry, as well.
Start by cutting of the green tops of the strawberries and cutting the berries in half and then in half again, into chunks.
Wash the chunks when finished and set aside.
Wash and peel and core a Granny Smith apple and cut it in half. When peeling, it doesn't have to be perfect.
Begin grating half the apple. You can use a box grater or a microplane, though, a microplane will take you longer.
Set aside some sugar. I use some vanilla sugar that I make by leaving an old vanilla bean in the sugar jar over time. Regular boring sugar works as well.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the strawberries, sugar and grated apple. Stir occasionally.
Heat this mixture for about 10-15 minutes and until it thickens significantly. Stir throughout this process.
Take off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
Pour the mixture in a small canning jar or a ramekin or bowl. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least four hours or up to overnight. It will thicken and improve in flavor as it sits.
Enjoy!
This jam will last up to two weeks in a wrapped container in the fridge.
See how I do it:
Ingredients
- 8 oz fresh or frozen strawberries, hulled, washed and diced in chunks
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar or homemade vanilla sugar
- half a granny smith apple, peeled and grated
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Combine ½ pound fresh (or frozen, thawed) hulled, quartered strawberries and the ⅓ cup sugar in a saucepan.
Stir and heat over medium heat, use the rubber spatula to break up the strawberries.
Stir in ½ peeled, coarsely grated large Granny Smith apple. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring and breaking up strawberries, until sugar dissolves.
Simmer until jam is thickened, 10-15 minutes. Stir in ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice.
Transfer to a bowl or jar; let cool. Cover and chill until set, about 2 hours or overnight. Keep chilled; serve within 2 weeks.
Notes
You can really use any berry here. Jam will last wrapped in container in fridge for up to two weeks.
