Chocolate Cherry Sorbet with Cherry Compote - Sunny Cove Chef

Sugarless Blackberry, Raspberry and Cherry Jam

8/29/2019

One of the reasons I write my blog is to share my love of cooking and experimenting with different foods. There are so many recipes hidden away in my folders, magazines and books. And there is so much food I buy because it looks so good, as was the case when I ended up with an abundance of fresh berries and cherries. I used the freshest fruits for my Rumtopf and the rest of the berries to make a quick jar of jam, using only one tablespoon of honey as a sweetener. It is good and I have been eating it for the last three weeks. My favorite is to put it on a cracker with peanut butter for a quick snack.

It’s also great on my morning yogurt. This is the perfect recipe for making your first jam. I realize cherry season is over but with this recipe you can use other seasonal fruit. It’s easy and doesn’t take much time and effort. I found the recipe in a magazine called Real Simple that I enjoy reading. A little warning that this is not a sweet jam; it is more of a spread on the tart side. The original recipe called for chia seeds and I added them, but I made my second batch without them and I like that better. I like the crunchiness of the chia seeds, but one could easily mistake them for blackberry or raspberry seeds.

A delicious breakfast using my sugarless jam in a crepe with a German cheese called Quark

Here are some recipes for some of the marmalades and jams I have made in previous years. Plums are in season right now and my Zwetschgenmus (spiced plum jam) is a real treat, as are my other jams.

Whenever I come across Italian prune plums I make this spiced plum jam called Zwetschgenmus in Germany

A no fuss plum and blackberry jam that is baked in the oven.

Zwetschgenmus or Spiced Plum Jam

Plum Jam Baked in the Oven

You only need three ingredients for this jam. The consistency is more of a topping or spread than a jam. It is tart and has to be kept in the fridge.

Ingredients:

1 lb. fresh fruit
¼ tsp salt
4 tsp. chia seeds (optional)
1TBS. honey
1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Carefully rinse the fruit. Pit and halve the cherries. If you want the cherries to be smaller, roughly chop them. Put the fruit and the salt in a heavy saucepan with ¼ cup of water. Cover and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the raspberries begin to fall apart. Uncover the pot and continue to cook it for about 5-8 minutes, stirring often and mashing the mixture gently. Remove from heat and stir in the honey, lemon juice and chia seeds if you use them. Fill the cooled mixture into a jar and store in the fridge.

Guten Appetit!
recipe by
Ananda Eidelstein in Real Simple magazine
adapted by Sunnycovechef.com

Strawberry Jam with Homemade Pectin

1/1/2019

This is the first time I made strawberry jam with homemade pectin. The jam carries the fresh sweet flavor of sweet strawberries. It has the essence of the food. Nothing takes away from the flavor. It is a runny soft jam, thickened just a little by the pectin of the green apples. This is a keeper for years to come.

Ingredients

7 1/2 pounds of strawberries ( 9 pints)
6 cups of sugar
Juice from 3 lemons ( a scant 1/2 cup) I used Meyer lemons
The juice of a small orange
2 cups of homemade pectin

Directions

Prepare 7 pint jars with lids and screws. I run the jars through the dishwasher and keep them warm, or put them in a pot with water and boil them for 10 minutes with the screws. Keep the lids in simmering water or follow the manufacture's instructions.

Put two small plates in the freezer. Wash, clean, and quarter or half the strawberries depending on size, leaving the small ones whole. Mash half the strawberries lightly. Add the sugar to a large (the larger the better) tall pot. Add the juices. Warm up this mixture over medium heat and partially melt the sugar stirring constantly so it want stick to the button. A wooden spoon with a long handle works great.

Add the rest of the ingredients and bring it to a boil at high heat. The mixture will bubble up, rising high ( that's were the tall pot comes in handy.) After a while the jam will boil down, forming darker, smaller bubbles. Cook this at medium heat stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches the thickness you like. My jam cooked for about 40 minutes. Test your jam for consistency by putting a small spoonful of the jam on the small cold plate you kept in the freezer.

Turn off the heat, and carefully ladle the jam into the prepared canning jars leaving some space at the top. I use a wide mouth funnel for this and it works great. Clean the lid with a wet, clean towel and put the lid onto the jar. Screw on the bands. Turn the jar upside down onto a clean towel. After the jars have cooled turn them over. Usually my jars are all properly sealed at this time, but if they're not I put them in a water bath until they seal. Before you store your jams check your lids for seals. Lids should not flex up and down when center is pressed and you should not be able to lift them with your finger tips.

Homemade Pectin

1/1/2019

This recipe comes from "Preserving the Taste by Edon Wycott." I found it on the cooking channel site. Emeril Lagasse used it in his strawberry recipe. Remember this has to be made at least a day ahead of time before you make your jam.

Ingredients

2 pounds of underripe green apples, washed and cut into eights depending on size (not peeled or cored)

4 cups of water

This makes about 1-2 cups of pectin

Directions

In a large saucepan, over high heat, bring the apples and water to boil.

Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the apples are soft and fall apart , about 20 minutes. Line a sieve with a cheesecloth and put sieve in a large bowl ( the drained juice should not touch the sieve) . Let it drain for several hours or overnight. Measure the apple juice and pour in a pot. Bring the liquid to a boil and cook until reduced by half. Refrigerate and use within 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

I made this recipe twice to get the amount I needed

Apricot Jam

1/1/2019

Boy do I love apricots! In summer, while apricots are in abundance and at their peak of flavor, it's jam making time at my house. Yes, it's a bit of work, but isn't it worth it to have this wonderful fruit all year long? What's better than waking up in the morning, buttering some whole grain toast and then slathering on a heaping spoonful of this fruit goodness. Nothing I say. Nothing is better.
The almond pits add a delicate hint of bitter almond flavor. I roast all the almond kernels in a preheated oven at 350˚ for 10 to 15 minutes . This makes them easier to crack them open and also destroys an enzyme that generates poisonous prussic acid when the kernels are mixed with water. I crack my kernels with a hammer and roast the remaining pits for another 5 minutes. For this recipe I used about 8 pits and chopped them .

Ingredients

For each batch I used:

5 pounds of apricots, pitted and roughly diced
5 cups of organic coarse sugar (I buy mine at Costco )
Juice of 2 lemons
10 apricot pits, roasted for 15 minutes at 350˚ degrees, cracked open with a hammer and roasted again for 5 minutes, Adding the chopped pits is optional.

Canning jars and lids

Stir the diced apricots , chopped almond pits and sugar. Let the mixture stand at least two hours or overnight, stirring often.You want the sugar to be totally dissolved.

Put two small plates in the freezer to help you test the consistency of the jam.

Prepare your jars and lids. I run my jars through the dishwasher and put my screws and lids in a pot of boiling water, where I simmer them for about 10 minutes.

Directions

Bring the apricots and sugar to a boil over high heat, stirring often to prevent the apricot mass from sticking. I use a large, tall pot and a wooden spoon with a long handle, a great tool that keeps distance between your skin and the boiling jam. Skim off the foam, I use a soup ladle with a long handle. Boil the jam until it reaches the consistency you like. Test for consistency by putting some jam on the cold plate. I like my jam more like a thick sauce. The cooking time on these two patches was short, about 20 minutes, the mass had thickened with some pieces of apricot in it. The cooking time can take up to 40 minutes. I added the juice of two lemons at the end.
Ladle the jam into jars, leave some space at the top, wipe the lip of the jar clean and add the lid, screw the ring onto the jar. I turn the hot jars upside down for 20 to 30 minutes. After that I check to make sure that they are sealed. If they are not, I put them in a water bath for 10 to 15 minutes and boil them until the tops pop. You know your jars are sealed when the lid doesn't move or pop when you press on it. To be totally safe follow the manufacturer's instructions that comes with the jars.

One batch makes about 10 cups.

Guten Appetit !
Recipe adapted from Alice Waters
recipe©Sunnycovechef

Plum and Blackberry-Plum Jam

1/1/2019

I made two batches of Jam. The Plum Jam is very tart. The second batch is dense and sweet. I like making them because they are so easy to make. While they are baking you can relax, read or clean the house. In Germany, jam is usually made with " Gelierzucker", a mix of sugar and dry pectin I assume. I made my own by mixing dry pectin and sugar together. This Jam needs to be processed in a water bath to seal correctly. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Robert's beautiful plums

My jars, screws, and lids are being sterilized

The baked jam

Jam on French Brie

Ingredients:

Recipe for Plum Jam
4 8 ounce canning jars with lids and screws
8 cups of washed, pitted, and quartered plums ( about 3 pounds)
2 cups of sugar mixed with 3 TBS of dry pectin
1-2 cinnamon sticks

Recipe for
Plum and Blackberry Jam

Ingredients:

2 8 ounce sized canning jars with lids and screws
4 cups of plums
1 cup of washed blackberries
2 scant cups of sugar mixed with 3TBS of pectin.

Directions for both Jams:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Spray Pam in a large pyrex or other pan
Put the fruit on the button
Add the sugar and pectin mixture on top.
Bake for about 2 hours
During the first hour the mixture will be very juicy.
During the second hour the juice will cook down. Stir and
mash the mixture.
Fill the jam into the prepared jars, put on the lids and the screws and process in a water bath for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Rhubarb Strawberry and Blackberry Jam

1/1/2019

This is my husbands favorite jam. He uses it for his peanut butter sandwiches. It is a tart thick jam that will stay on your toast. Because of the blackberries it will have some seeds. I have made this jam with blueberries instead of blackberries and it is just as good. This is an easy and quick way to make jam. This is a tart jam with a berry flavor.

Ingredients:

This recipe will yield 6 pint sized jars with a little left over.

Prepare the jars, lids and bands.

4 cups sliced strawberries ( 1 pound)
4 cups blackberries ( 1 pound) or blueberries
3 cups cleaned and thinly sliced rhubarb ( 13 ounces)
3 cups of sugar
6 TBS powered pectin
The juice of one lemon

Directions:

Mix together the rhubarb, strawberries, and the sugar. Let it sit for an hour for the fruits to render their juice and the sugar to dissolve. Add the blackberries and mash with a potato masher. Add the lemon juice.

In a large pot bring the mixture to a rolling boil, cook for about 5 minutes. Add the pectin and continue to cook for another two minutes. Turn the heat off and ladle the jam into the clean, hot jars. Clean the rim of the jars with a clean wet towel (I use wet paper towels). Put the lid and band on jars. Turn them around until cool. When turning them over make sure that all are sealed properly.

Strawberry Jam

1/1/2019

This is a recipe I have used for years and it is a favorite it has a tart fruity flavor with a tang which I believe comes from the combination of the lemon juice and the grated green apple. Last year more of the strawberries were left whole than this year and I think I like it better that way. One can manipulate the consistency of the jam by how long it is cooked. This is a no fuss recipe which is easy to make.

Ingredients

5 1/4 pound of strawberries or 6 pints

3 cups of sugar

Juice and zest of one lemon

1 large grated green apple

Directions

Wash and slice the strawberries

Macerate the strawberries and sugar for an hour and longer. The fruit should have rendered their juices

Put in a large tall pot , add the grated apple, zest and lemon juice.

Bring to a rolling boil on high heat stirring to prevent burning.

Turn to medium heat and continue to cook until the jam reaches your desired consistency. I cooked mine for about 25 minutes.

Turn off the heat and immediately ladle the jam into prepared jars and seal according to the manufacture's instructions.

This amount yields 4 to 5 pints of jam.

Zwetschgenmus or Spiced Plum Butter

9/13/2018

When I was a child, we had several plum trees in our garden. One variety was called Zwetschgen, similar to the prune. Our Zwetschgen tree would overflow with fruit and our family would make Zwetschgenmus (aka spiced plum butter) in a huge copper kettle that was heated by a piece of burning wood from underneath. We would have big glass canning jars with rubber rings in our pantry filled with delicious plum butter.

As children we could not get enough of this sweet, rich and gooey plum butter spread on country bread and topped with schmand. The best way to describe schmand is a fresh cream that is similar to Créme Fraîche or whipping cream. I used greek yogurt on my sandwich .
In this country we call Zwetschgen Italian plums and they are seldom available where I live . You can imagine how happy I was when I found them in a local food stand. I bought all they had and made two different batches of Zwetschgenmus and baked two different cakes.

My Zwetschegenmus is a tartly rich and earthy-tasting fruit butter with a slight taste of cinnamon and allspice. These sour little plums (without much juice or flavor) once baked turn into an amazingly flavorful treat. It’s like the frog that turns into a prince. For the Zwetschgenmus, I chose a recipe from Louisa Weiss’s Classic German Baking book. I have to say it turned out just as good as Helga Papas,’ my village neighbor who has made it for decades in Germany and always shared some with my family. My brother is especially fond of it and I will keep a jar for him to eat when he comes to visit me this year. If you see this little unpretentious plum in a store next to their juicy voluptuous cousins, don’t pass them by. You will not regret it when you have a spoonful of Zwetschgenmus.

The plums are baked in a heavy cast iron pot until they turn into a sticky mass and are completely broken down. Make sure you use a four-quart cast iron pot. I used a smaller one in my first batch, and it took twice as long to bake them the next day. The second time, I used a four-quart pot and baked it in 2.5 hours instead of 4. Luisa Weiss says that the recipe is easily doubled, but unfortunately I ran out of plums.

Ingredients:

5 one-pint size jars with lids and bands

4 pounds purple pitted plums (around 5 pounds with pits)
2 cups (200 g) granulated white sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole clove

Instructions:

Wash, pit and quarter the plums. Discard those with dark spots inside. Put the plums, the sugar and the spices in a large bowl. Stir and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Luisa puts her fruit in the same pot she uses for baking. Let the pot or bowl stand covered overnight until the sugar is dissolved in the juice of the fruit.

Heat the oven to 350ºF/180 Celsius. Pour the fruit into the pot, making sure you scrape every little bit of juice and sugar into the pot. Bake uncovered for 2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. In the meantime, sterilize 5 one-pint containers. I run my jars and rings through the dishwasher and put my lids in a pot with hot water. Do not boil the lids
.
When the plums have broken down and the liquid in the pot has become syrupy, the Pflaumenmus is ready. Remove the pot from the oven. I put mine in the kitchen sink to prevent splattering. Remove the cinnamon stick, and if you see the allspice, remove that also (I didn’t see mine). Pureé the Zwetschgenmus with an immersion blender until smooth. I leave a few chunks of fruit in it. Fill the still warm jars with the plum butter. I have a wide funnel that really helps. Screw on the lid and turn the jar upside down. You will know your jars are sealed when the lid doesn’t move or pop when you press on it. To be totally safe, follow the manufacturer’s instructions that come with the jars.

Guten Appetit
recipe from Luisa Weiss in her Classic German Baking Book
by©sunnycovechef.com

Apricot Love

7/7/2017

There is nothing better than a ripe apricot—picked fresh from the tree and eaten right away. Dripping with juice, tasting intensely sweet with a tinge of acidity, eating an apricot is a truly sensual experience..

However, most of us will not experience this because today’s apricots are picked firm and then brought to the market. Most varieties grown today have little flavor, are usually pale, odorless and tart. If you want the old-fashioned apricots, look for Blenheims. This apricot got its name from the Duke of Marlborough’s garden at Blenheim Palace in England. Apricots were probably cultivated in China thousands of years ago. The Spaniards brought apricots to the New World and planted them in the mission gardens of California. If you are lucky, you can find Blenheims in the costal valleys of California.

This year, I bought a crate (28 pounds) of apricots from one of the road stands in the central valley here in California. They were not Blenheims, but had been picked riper than the commercial kind. I don't know what kind of apricot I bought. They were okay, but I had bought a crate of apricots at the same farm stand the previous year and they were better. I put the apricots in a single layer in my cool downstairs bedroom and immersed myself into cooking them. Most of them became apricot jam. The jam turned out fabulously this year—smooth and velvety with a little crunch from the apricot kernels and texture from the skin. It was just the way we like it—sweet and tart at the same time. I would not omit the pits, as they really add a lot of flavor. For this years recipe, I used 10 pounds of apricots, 6 pounds of organic sugar, 16 cracked and roasted pits and 6 TBS of lemon juice. I was thinking about adding a vanilla bean or a cinnamon stick (or maybe some ginger), but in the end I did no such thing. I like my jam without any other flavors. The fruit itself is enough.

review recipe for apricot jam

My husband likes my cobbler, and I baked two while I still had apricots. I like my cobbler because I use very little sugar, but it tastes delicious. I made the same cobbler for the 4th of July using peaches, blackberries and a few leftover blueberries.

review recipe for apricot cobbler

I am very found of my German apricot cake with marzipan. It’s easy to make and a real treat for an afternoon tea. Or great for a picnic on a warm summer day.

review recipe for German apricot cake

My all-time favorite treat during apricot season are apricot dumplings. In Austria, they are considered a meal unto themselves. To make these, you need quark, a German soft cheese. Whole Foods and Shopper's Corner in Santa Cruz now carries quark.

review recipe for apricot dumplings

While looking through back issues of my beloved Gourmet magazine from the month of June, I found a shrimp, jicama and apricot salad recipe. My husband loved this salad because it is crunchy, fresh and light. For me, the salad was a little bland, yet it was refreshing and elegant in its presentation. It is a perfect salad if you are counting your calories. I can imagine a salad like this being served decades ago in a fancy private club or hotel. Even though this is not my favorite salad, I decided to post it anyway.

review recipe for apricot jicama shrimp salad

Paris and Apricot Bliss

6/18/2015

Why the title? Because next week if everything goes well, my hubby and I will be in Paris. We will have our sentimental Paris moments sitting on a bench in the Tuileries Gardens. Which flowers are blooming at the end of June? We will discover our favorite places on foot, browse outdoor markets, observe life from an outdoor café and poke our noses into doorways to find hidden courtyards and gardens. We will visit some museums and I hope to discover new little restaurants, cafés, bakeries or anything that has to do with food. We will do what we had planned to do last year in April. But circumstances changed. Read my story here.

Preview Recipe for Apricot Jam

Now to the apricots! Originally, I had planned to post some new recipes, but they needed more work before I can launch them into cyber space. But most of all, it is apricot season. I love apricots and I especially love apricot jam. I made my apricot jam this year with different apricots and it turned out fantastic. I love the flavor, so sweet and tangy! I think adding the apricot pits puts it over the top. I've been eating it by the spoonful. I was looking for Blenheim apricots, but they are just getting ready and are only available for a few weeks.

Preview Aprikosen Kuchen Recipe

This delicious German apricot coffee cake was one of my first posts. I made it again last week and it was well liked. The cake is easy to make, as it is light and fluffy .The apricots give it a nice fruity flavor and it looks great when you cut it into pieces. This cake will dazzle at any picnic or potluck. Adding a little piece of marzipan where the pit was just adds additional flavor. You can also substitute plums for apricots.

Preview Recipe to Marzipan Fruit Tart

Last but not least is my fruit tart. A marzipan cream is added to the tart before you add the fruit. This tart is yummy. Again, you can substitute other fruit for the apricots. I added some raspberries I had left over. Instead of inviting your friends for dinner, invite them for tea or Kaffeeklatsch as we call it in Germany. Kaffeeklatsch means to have coffee, something sweet to nibble on and Klatsch, gossiping ...

Let me know if you have a favorite restaurant or place in Paris. I would love to hear from you. Cross your fingers and hope that hubby and I are over our colds before we leave.

Sour Cherry Jam

7/21/2014

A tart , fantastic tasting jam

My friends, Jacqueline and Heinz, have a beautiful sour cherry tree. These cherries live up to the word “sour”—or let's say tart. They make your mouth pucker. But they are absolutely delicious, very delicate with a soft skin and texture. This is not any commercial variety.

I am supposed to be getting ready for my 5-week long trip to Germany, with a hundred things to do before we leave—but I just had to have some of these cherries. I picked about three pounds. I ate a lot and made about 4 pint-sized jars of jam and a cherry clafoutis. The jam is to die for— it’s tart and carries the essence of these gorgeous cherries. I like to eat it mixed with yogurt, on a piece of toast, or in my cherry chocolate tart. The icky part of making this jam is pitting the cherries. My husband volunteered for this very messy job, bless his heart. It took him 30 minutes to pit those little buggers with a cherry pitter, although he did watch the baseball game with one eye while pitting. You have to wear an apron and and short sleeves. Our cutting board now has cute little red spots.

I wasn't going to blog this, but changed my mind. I'm starting to like taking photos, plus I have this cute hand-painted cherry platter made by a local artist Beth Grippenstraw in Santa Cruz, California. (check out her work, fun and very unusual). I used David Leibovitz's recipe for the jam, he calls it no recipe jam.

You can use any variety of cherries for this jam. Wash the cherries thoroughly and drain them in a colander. Pit the cherries, and if they are big and the skin is tough, cut them in smaller pieces. I left mine whole since they were small enough, had soft skin and were very juicy.

The pitted cherries

The cooked cherries before sugar was added.

Ingredients:

4 pint-sized jars with lids and screws

3 pounds cherries
3 cups sugar
juice and zest of 2 lemons
1 Tbs. Kirschwasser (optional)
½ tsp. almond extract

Direction:

Cook the cherries with the lemon juice and zest for about 20 minutes until they are juicy and red. Cook them in a large pot and stir occasionally. After cooking, measure the cherries & juice again and use 75% of that amount of sugar. I ended up with 4 cups of cherries and their juices, so I used 3 cups of sugar. Return the cherries to the large pot, add the sugar and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent the jam from sticking to the pot. Cook until the jam starts to jell. (Test on a plate you have put in the freezer.) My jam was done in 20 minutes. Put the jam into prepared sterilized jars. Put lid and screw on, and turn the jam upside down. After the jam has cooled, test to see if the jars have sealed.
Read my other jam recipes for detailed instructions on canning and equipment.

Guten Appetit
Recipe adapted from David Leibovitz
by © Sunnycovechef

Blood Orange Marmalade

2/18/2014

A marmalade that is great on toast, but will also enhance your cooking

I love really love the taste of citrus. One of my favorite snacks is candied orange peel. So it is no surprise that I also love orange marmalade. It is not just ordinary orange marmalade—it is blood orange marmalade, which has a more intensive orange flavor. There are different kinds of blood oranges. This year, I have been buying organic Moro oranges at our local farmers market, which are the most colorful blood oranges of them all. The juice of a Moro orange is rich in anthocyanin, which may help prevent a fatty liver (according to wikipedia). I make this marmalade not only for my buttered toast, but to use in sauces, fruit compotes, cakes and crepes. However you use it, it adds flavor and richness. I used this marmalade to make the ganache for my chocolate tart.
The recipe comes from a beautiful calendar that a friend sends me every year from Germany. He took over this tradition when my father passed away many years ago. He is so sweet and I appreciate it so much. Thank you, Ekkerhard Lindner and family.

Soak the oranges for 24 hours

cooking the marmalade

sterilizing the lids and rings

testing for readiness

ladling jam into jars

my marmalade with my lemon bread

This batch made 10 pint-sized jars with some marmalade left over.

Equipment:

10 pint-sized canning jars
lids and rings
a large pot

Ingredients:

4 lb. blood oranges
3 lemons
6-8 cups of sugar

Directions:
Wash the oranges and lemons thoroughly. Cut both ends of the oranges and lemons, and discard. Working on a large plate to catch the juice, cut oranges and lemons in half lengthwise, then cut the halves into very thin slices crosswise. Discard most of the seeds, but leave some in for flavor. Put the fruit in a noncorrosive container, cover with four cups of water and let it stand covered for 24 hours.
Put everything in a large pot and simmer covered for one hour. Add the sugar, stirring and bring to a boil. Boil for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to bottom. The last 10 minutes need constant stirring.Test for readiness by putting a teaspoon of jam on a small plate that has been in the freezer. If it gels, the marmalade is done. The mixture should be a soft gel. If it runs, it is not ready.
Meanwhile, in a large pot put the clean jars and bands in boiling water and boil for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the lids and leave everything in the water until the marmalade is ready. I often run my jars through a cycle in the dishwasher and keep them warm in the dishwasher, so I don't have to put them in boiling water. However, it is important to be safe and follow the guidelines given by the US Department of Agriculture.
Ladle the jam into jars, leaving some space at the top. Wipe the top of the jar clean with a moist paper towel and add the lid. Screw the ring onto the jar. I turn the hot jars upside down for 20-30 minutes. After that, I check to make sure that they are sealed. If they are not, I put them in a water bath for 10-15 minutes and boil them until the tops pop. Place a jar rack, or metal mush basket in the pot to prevent the jars from touching the bottom. I use an old pie tin turned upside down. Fill the pot with water (halfway up the jars ). You know your jars are sealed when the lid doesn't move or pop when you press on it. To be totally safe, follow the manufacturer's instructions that comes with the jars.

Check out my other jam recipes for some helpful tips.

I made the marmalade in 2017 using 8 cups of sugar. This time I got 8 pints of marmalade which was less than I got last year.

Guten Appetit!
Adapted from a German recipe
by © Sunnycovechef

Plum Jam Baked in the Oven

8/12/2013

Plum Jam Baked In The Oven

The easiest jam ever, I promise, no fuss, no mess, just let it bake in the oven. Once in a while you can take a peek. Don't be tempted to stir before you have quite bit of liquid in the pan. My mom told me that she never stirred because she was too busy doing other things. I stirred at the end mashing the fruit. I wanted to incorporate the plum skins into the jam. A word of caution, this jam is tart and I mean tart. You might want to consider increasing the sugar. I like having different kinds of jam in the house. At Christmas this one will be a treat on French brie or cream cheese.
I made another small batch with plums and blackberries using more sugar. This one turned out sweeter, more like a traditional jam and my husband liked it.

An Epic Jam Making Sunday

7/31/2013

Homemade Jam

30 Jars of Jam

It began a week ago when Ronald, a local organic farmer, told me that his strawberries were just right for making my jam and I knew I had to do it soon because I'm going to Germany in a couple of weeks.
With that in mind I stocked up on organic sugar that I like to use (this sugar is not as fine as regular sugar) and made sure I had enough jars and lids. For some time I kept a recipe for homemade pectin and this was the year I was going to try it. Last year I made strawberry jam, and mixed fruit jam, using strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and my rhubarb that I grow in my tiny little plot in front of my house. My husband's favorite is the mixed berry jam. He likes his jams spreadable and I like mine runny, dripping off my toast, and excellent over vanilla ice cream. Last year I had used powdered pectin to give the mixed berry jam the consistency my husband likes.
On Saturday I visited my friend's Birgit and Robert, who have a wonderful piece of property, where Robert has planted a variety of usual fruit trees, berries, and a fantastic vegetable garden. It is a cooks paradise. We picked several pints of ripe blackberries and some green apples, not quite ready to eat but great for my homemade pectin.
On Sunday morning I bought my flat of strawberries from Ronald at the farmer's market. At the market I also noticed that, "Dirty Girls,” another local farm, (I love the name) had strawberries for jam on sale. I couldn't resist and bought another half flat. Here I was with 19 pints of strawberries and some additional fruit waiting at home.

Robert and Birgit in their beautiful garden

Things that make jam making so much easier

If you don't buy anything else invest in a wooden spoon with a long handle, you need to stir the jam and it is very hot. Your three dollars investment will keep your arms from looking like Scar Face.
Make sure you have a tall pot because the jam will often bubble up dramatically and you don't want sticky jam on your stove top. A wide funnel will be a jam makers little helper when ladling the jam into the jars. I love it.
This year I added a pair of silicon glove pot holders to my arsenal. They're ok to have but not really necessary. I used them instead of tongs to get the jars and bands out of the hot water.

Homemade jams

Have fun with your jam making. Once you have made homemade jam you and your will never eat the commercial stuff again. Many recipes call for adding spices and other favors. I 'm a purist when it comes to jam making. Using ripe fruit that has just been picked needs no other flavors in my humble opinion.

Strawberry Jam
with Homemade Pectin

Homemade Pectin

Strawberry Jam

Rhubarb Strawberry and Blackberry Jam

What to do with Two Boxes of Apricots

7/9/2013

I spent a glorious week in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in our little cabin. To get there we have to go through the central valley of California, the fruit basket of our nation. Many farms sell their produce on site . Right now the apricots are ripe and I couldn't resist. So here I was with pounds and pounds of wonderful apricots, 2 boxes to be precise.
First I gave all my neighbors and friends some, then I made jam with 10 pounds. I used Alice Water's recipe from her "Chez Panisse Fruit Book." I loved the first batch so much that I made another one. I tweaked her recipe by using less sugar and more lemon juice.
Each time I doubled her recipe. The first time I let the apricots and sugar stand overnight in a covered bowl , stirring several times. For the second batch I let the apricots and sugar stand for a couple of hours but I added the juice of a lemon . This time I stirred often and the sugar dissolved faster.
I like my jam soft with pieces of fruit.