Honey-Sweetened Plum & Blueberry Jam (gluten-free, sugar-free)
Sunday, September 5, 2010
My evening activities of late are no longer a secret, that's for sure. Yes friends, I've been jamming up a storm. First it was Vanilla Plum Jam. Then it was Spicy Raspberry Lime Jam. Then I made this delicious Plum & Blueberry Jam, using leftover plums and some frozen blueberries (a mix of homegrown and Wyman's frozen wild blueberries). Then I followed it up shortly thereafter with an Herbed Apple Jelly, which I will share with you if it actually set up correctly and I like it. I now have 26 jars of preserves, and I doubt I'll end there!
This jam rocks. The flavor is a nice balance of blueberry and plum, and it has a nice thick consistency. But I think my favorite thing about this jam is the color. Seriously, look at that! That amazing purple blue color yells, "Eat me! Now!" Just think of all the antioxidants. Wow.
This jam is super easy to make and super delicious. Once you start, you won't be able to stop. And don't worry if you can't eat it all yourself - jam makes an amazing hostess gift, birthday present, or stocking stuffer. So scrounge up some fruit, gather up your jars, find a couple big pots, and set to work.
plum & blueberry jam nestled amongst my other jams and jellies - jamming is fun!
Honey-Sweetened Plum & Blueberry Jam
yield 6 8-oz jars
about 1 1/2 pounds fresh plums (about 2 cups pureed)
5-6 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) blueberries, divided
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2-1 cup honey (I used 2/3 cup)
3 tsp Pamona's pectin
3 tsp calcium water
8 crushed cardamom pods (optional)
other equipment:
tea ball or mesh tea bag
6 8-oz canning jars
1-2 large pots for canning
1 saucepan for heating jam
helpful tools: canning basket or jar-lifting tongs
Wash jars, tops, and rings well with hot soapy water, rinse, and place in pots of hot (not boiling) water. I usually fill the pots with enough water to cover the jars by one inch, remove the jars, bring it to a boil, then shut off the burner. Then put the clean, empty jars, covers, and rings in the hot water and let them sit until I'm ready to fill them.
Prepare the calcium water per the instructions in the Pamona's box, and set aside.
Wash the plums well. Split, pit, and chop, then place in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth (you should get about 2 cups of pureed fruit). Add 3-4 cups of blueberries to the blender and blend, enough to get about 4 cups total pureed fruit. Then add lemon juice and calcium water and blend a final time to combine.
In a small bowl, stir together honey and pectin until smooth, and set aside. Transfer fruit mixture to a saucepan and add remaining 2 cups of whole blueberries and cardamom pods (in a tea ball or bag), bring to a boil, then stir in honey mixture and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes to dissolve pectin. Return to a boil, then remove from heat. Remove tea ball.
Transfer hot jam into warmed jars, leaving 1/4" of space at top of jar. Wipe rims clean, then screw on two-piece cover. Place in a pot of boiling water, making sure that jars are covered by 1" of water. Process for 10 minutes, then remove from pot and set on a double thickness of towel, away from drafts. Let sit 24 hours undisturbed before checking seal. Label jars and store at room temperature for 1 year, with or without ring. Will keep about 3 weeks refrigerated once opened.
Reader Comments (5)
Oh how lovely , seeing all your beautiful Jams that you've made is really exciting ! I can not get over the beautiful color they sure do look delicious :)
So happy to see recipes without sugar! Lovely.
Looks beautiful--yes, it really is a lovely color! But I bet the combination of those two tastes is equally terrific. I think I could even make this with agave--whoo hoo!
Do you know where you can buy this type of pectin locally in mpls or st paul?
Hi Amanda! Sorry I took so long to reply! You can purchase Pamona's Pectin at the Wedge Co-op, it is about $4.95 for a box, which will make 2-3 batches of jam. I *think* Whole Foods carries it too (call before you go to make sure, I might be making that up!). I know that Seward does not carry it, but you may try calling some of the other co-ops (Eastside, Linden Hills, Mississippi Market) to see if they have it if those locations are closer to you. You can also order it online. Good luck, fellow swapper! xo