Blackberry Peach Jam

This canning season, I’ve been experimenting with different flavor combinations. I made crockpot blackberry jam and rosemary peach butter. I had some blackberries and peaches left so I combined them in this Blackberry Peach Jam.

It seems that I’m not the only one that had this idea because I found a few versions online for inspiration. Looking at the photos on Pinterest was what really sold me on the idea because the blackberries give the jam a beautiful pink tint.

I decided to use Pomona pectin in this recipe because it allows you to reduce the amount of sugar required. The flavor of the fruit really shines through in this recipe instead of the sweetener.

I consulted the following resources while making this jam:

• Followed the method for extracting the blackberry juice from Peach Blackberry Jam by Our Share of the Harvest. 
• Referred to the method for making Ginger Peach Jam from Put ‘em Up! by Sherri Brooks Vinton
• Utilized the instructions on the Pomona’s Universal Pectin box for the appropriate amount of  fruit/pectin/calcium water/lemon juice.

 

Blackberry Peach Jam

Makes: 7 – 8 Eight ounce jars

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds peaches
• 1/2 cup blackberry juice (2 cups, strained)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons Pomona’s Universal Pectin
• 4 teaspoons calcium water (included in Pomona box)

 

Method:

Step 1: Wash and rinse canning jars; let them stand in hot water. Bring lids and rings to boil; turn down heat; let stand in hot water

Step 2: Puree the blackberries in a blender or food processor and strain through a strainer, sieve, or jelly bag.

 

Step 3: Meanwhile, combine the water and lemon juice in a nonreactive pot. Prepare an ice-water bath in a large bowl.

Step 4: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the peaches, two at a time, in the boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen skin. Scoop the peaches out of the water and place them into the ice-water bath. Repeat until all of the peaches have been blanched.

 

Step 5: Peel, pit, and dice the peaches and add them to the pot with the lemon water. Add 1/2 cup strained blackberry juice and the calcium water and mix well.

 

Step 6: Measure the sugar into a separate bowl. Stir in the Pectin powder and mix thoroughly.

 

Step 7: Bring the peach and blackberry mixture to a boil.  Lightly mash about one quarter of the mixture with a potato masher.

 

Step 8: Add the pectin-sugar mixture; stir vigorously 1-2 minutes, while cooking to dissolve the pectin. Return to boil and remove from heat.

 

Step 9: Fill the jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.  Wipe the rims clean.  Screw on the 2-piece lids.  Place the filled jars in boiling water to cover. Boil for 10 minutes. (add 1 minute more for every 1,000 ft. above sea level). If you need more detailed instructions on water-bath canning, please refer to the instructions at the National Center for Home Preservation.

Step 10: Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove the jars, and let them sit on the counter for 24 hours to cool and ensure they are sealed correctly. You should hear the lids pop if they are sealed properly.

Place the sealed jars in a cool, dry place for storage for up to a year.  If any of the jars do not seal properly, place them in the refrigerator. They will last for a couple of months in the refrigerator.

 

Happy Canning!

Cathy

Smooth & Delicious Rosemary Peach Butter

It’s peach season! I just love this time of year because I get to go to my favorite farm and pick out peaches for peach butter.

The funny thing is… I didn’t like peaches when I was younger. I know, that’s kind of odd for someone that grew up in Georgia, a state known for it’s peaches. I enjoyed the flavor of peaches, but not the fuzz. I’m a texture-oriented eater and peach fuzz just doesn’t feel right on my teeth. I missed out on enjoying Georgia peaches for a long time, but once I got into canning, I made up for lost time.

I particularly enjoy making peach butter. Over the past few years, I’ve made several different types of peach butter. I love the tried and true peach butters, but I wanted to try something different this season.

The problem is, I get stuck in my box sometimes. When I need to come up with a creative idea and have a mental block, I turn to Pinterest for ideas. It’s amazing what you can find there.

I knew I wanted to add something different to the peach butter, but I couldn’t think of what that should be. I happened upon a couple of photos of Rosemary Peach Butter and decided rosemary was the missing ingredient. 

Why didn’t I think of that?  I love rosemary. I have a rosemary bush that beckons to me everyday as I walk by.  And, I’ve been using rosemary quite a bit lately in baking and cooking.

I decided to come out of my box and make this Rosemary Peach Butter. Now, it’s your turn to come out of the box.

 

Rosemary Peach Butter

 

Makes: 5 –6  Eight ounce jars

Idea inspired by: Food Babbles Rosemary Peach Butter 

Canning method adapted from: Put ‘em Up! by Sherry Brooks Vinton

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds ripe peaches
• 1 cup water
• 1/8 cup lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 small sprigs Rosemary

 

Preparation:

Step 1: Place the water and the lemon juice in a large nonreactive pot. Then prepare an ice-water bath by placing ice cubes and cold water in a large bowl.

Step 2: Fill another large pot with water and bring it to boil. Carefully drop 2 peaches at time into the boiling water and blanch them for 30 seconds to loosen the skins.

Step 3: Using a slotted spoon, remove the peaches from the water and place them in the ice-water bath.  Repeat the process with the remaining peaches. Let them drain in a colander.

Step 4: Peel the peaches.  This should be really easy now that they been blanched. Cut them in half and remove the pit.  Take the peach and smash it with your hand, then add it to the large pot with the lemon juice mixture.  Repeat this process with the rest of the peaches.

Step 5: Bring the peach mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the peaches are soft, about 10 minutes or so. 

Step 6: Cool the mixture slightly, then puree with a stick blender. Place the pureed mixture back in the pot and add the sugar.

Step 7:  Wrap the rosemary sprigs in cheesecloth and fasten with string. Place the rosemary pouch in the pot with the peach puree and simmer this mixture over medium-low heat until it thickens.  This could take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour or so. I placed a dollop on a plate that had been placed in the freezer to check if the gel was set. If the butter doesn’t spread around it’s perimeter, then it is ready.

Step 8: Remove the butter from the heat. Retrieve the rosemary pouch and discard. Ladle the butter into clean, sterilized, hot half-pint jars.  Leave 1/4 inch headspace.  Remove air bubbles if necessary with a bubble remover and headspace tool. Wipe the edges clean. Center lid on jar.  Then screw the band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight. 

Step 9:  Place the jars in the canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Process in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes in altitudes up to 1,000 feet.  If you live in a higher altitude or need more detailed instructions on water-bath canning, please refer to the instructions at the National Center for Home Preservation.

Step 10: Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove the jars, and let them sit on the counter for 24 hours to cool and ensure they are sealed correctly. You should hear the lids pop if they are sealed properly.

Place the sealed jars in a cool, dry place for storage for up to a year.  If any of the jars do not seal properly, place them in the refrigerator. They will last for a couple of months in the refrigerator.

 

The flavor of this Rosemary Peach Butter is wonderful!  It has just a hint of rosemary so it’s not overpowering. I could eat it by the spoonful.

 

Happy Canning!

Cathy

Would you like some bread with your jam?

It’s been raining so much lately, that I haven’t wanted to venture out to the store to get food supplies. I decided it was time to make some comfort food using some grains and other ingredients I had on hand. Can you guess what I made?

 

I’ll give you a clue. I love to make jam during the summer months when berries and stoned fruit are at their peak, and I always end up with a bunch of jars at the end of the season. I decided to make some bread to go with the jam.

If you guessed that the comfort food I was craving was a PB&J sandwich, you’re right!  For this sandwich, I made a multi-grain bread using a mixture of seven grains, and then I spread it with some CranStrawberry Jam. I also added some creamy organic peanut butter (not shown). It was very comforting on a loud and stormy night!

To learn how to make this multi-grain bread, look for my Multi-Grain Bread for a Rainy Day post on the Grain Mill Wagon.

 

Happy Baking!

Cathy

Peach-Orange Marmalade

It’s hard to believe it’s August already. It’s been a hot and busy summer. I usually visit my favorite farm a couple of times during the summer to get peaches, but due to my hectic work schedule, I’ve only been once this year.  Thankfully, I got a bunch of peaches the last time I went and was able to put up several jars of peach butter, marmalade and canned peaches.

I keep hearing that canning is a lost art.  I’m so glad I found it. I started canning a few years ago so now I’m able to put away some of the flavors of summer to enjoy when it’s not so sunny and bright out side. Although I live in the South and we don’t get much snow, it’s still nice to be able to enjoy Georgia peaches in the off season.

This peach and orange marmalade is a special treat.  It’s not like regular marmalade made with strips of orange peel.  This marmalade is made with finely grated orange peel which provides a delicious orange flavor without the bitterness. Just pure sunshine.

 

 

Peach Orange Marmalade

Yield: About six or seven 8-ounce (250 mL) jars

Adapted from: Keeping The Harvest: Discover the Homegrown Goodness of Putting Up Your Own Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs by Nancy Chioffi & Gretchen Mead

 

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds fully ripe peaches (about 5 cups)
• 2 medium oranges (1 cup)
• Peel of one orange, grated very fine
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

 

Directions:

Step 1. Prepare the peaches for canning.

To prepare the peaches for canning, I followed the same method I used when making the Spicy Peach Butter. I learned it from Sherry Brooks Vinton’s book “Put ‘em Up!”  Basically, you take a really ripe peach and blanch it to remove the peel, cut it in half and remove the pit, and then smash it with your hand. You don’t even need to cut it up.  Just blanch it, peel it, pit it, smash it, boil it, then can it!  It’s that easy!

 

Step 2. Remove the peel and seeds from the oranges.

Peel the oranges. Be sure to leave some of the white rind on the oranges. This is the part of the fruit that contains most of the pectin.

I used my micro zester to zest the peel to make sure it was grated as finely as possible. Chop or grind the oranges up finely. I used a knife for this part.

 

Step 3. Add the ingredients to a large non-reactive pot. Measure 5 cups of peaches and 1 cup of oranges into the pot.

 

Step 4. Add the sugar and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly.

 

Step 5. Bring the mixture to a boil. Boil rapidly over high heat, and stir constantly. Boil until the mixture thickens, or until it reaches nine degrees above the boiling point of water.  Remove it from the heat, then skim off the foam.

 

Step 6. Ladle into clean jars. Ladle the marmalade into clean, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles if necessary with a bubble remover and headspace tool. Wipe the edges clean. Center lid on jar.  Then screw the band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight. 

 

Step 7: Process in a water-bath canner. Place the jars in the canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Process in the boiling-water bath for 5 minutes, up to 1,000 feet altitude.

If you live in a higher altitude or need more detailed instructions on water-bath canning, please refer to the instructions at the National Center for Home Preservation.

 

Step 8: Let jars rest on counter overnight. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove the jars, and let them sit on the counter for 24 hours to cool and ensure they are sealed correctly. You should hear the lids pop if they are sealed properly.

 

Step 9: Store jars in a cool, dry place. Place the sealed jars in a cool, dry place for storage for up to a year. If any of the jars do not seal properly, place them in the refrigerator. They will last for a couple of months in the refrigerator.

 

I had a little bit left, but I ate it before I got the chance to take a photo.  It was so good!  This marmalade tastes great by itself, on a slice of toast or over ice cream. It’s up to you how you want to enjoy it.

 

Happy Canning!

Cathy

Old-Fashioned Blackberry Jam

My taste tester and I visited one of my favorite farms on the 4th of July. I got a flat of blackberries and a peck of peaches. You know what that means?  It’s time to jam!

I started my jam session with this Blackberry Jam. It is made the old-fashioned way with no pectin, just fresh fruit and sugar and a little lemon juice to assist in the gel-setting. It’s a good thing we got a whole flat because I ate a bunch before I ever got around to making the jam. The berries and the jam are exceptional!  I look forward to enjoying this jam when berry season is over.

This jam is considered a long-boil soft spread, similar to the strawberry jam I made in June. For these types of jams, it’s best to use three parts fully-ripe fruit to one part slightly under-ripe fruit so that the under-ripe fruit (which usually has a higher pectin content), will help the gel set.

 

Old-Fashioned Blackberry Jam

Yield: About seven or eight 8-ounce (250 mL) jars

Adapted from: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving and Keeping The Harvest: Discover the Homegrown Goodness of Putting Up Your Own Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs by Nancy Chioffi & Gretchen Mead

Ingredients:

• About 10 cups crushed blackberries (3 quarts berries)
• 6 3/4 cups granulated sugar (about 3/4 cup for each cup fruit) I used about 6 1/4 cups
• 4 T lemon juice
• 2 tsp organic butter (optional, to reduce foam)

 

Directions:

1) Prepare canner, jars and lids. For detailed instructions on water-bath canning, refer to the instructions at the National Center for Home Preservation.

2) Crush and measure the berries. Place the berries into a large, deep, stainless steel pot or kettle. Add the sugar and lemon juice (if using). Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar. You can remove some of the seeds using a sieve, if desired.  I just crushed the berries seeds and all.

 

3) Boil until gel sets. Boil rapidly, stirring frequently until the mixture thickens (or for a firm jam, boil until the mixture reaches nine degrees over the boiling point of water).  I used the plate-in-the-freezer method to determine when the gel was set.  With this method, you place a plate in the freezer and test the gel periodically by placing a drop of gel on the plate.  When the jam doesn’t run, the gel is set.

4) Remove from heat and skim off the foam. I added a couple of teaspoons of organic butter to the gel at this stage to reduce the foam.  I forgot to take a photo but before I added the butter, the foam was covering the pot.  In the photo below, the foam is almost gone.

 

5) Ladle the jam into hot, sterilized canning jars. Leave 1/4 inch headspace.  Remove air bubbles if necessary with a bubble remover and headspace tool. Wipe the edges clean. Center lid on jar.  Then screw the band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight. 

6) Process in a boiling-water bath. Place the jars in the canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water.  Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes in altitudes up to 1,000 feet.

If you live in a higher altitude or need more detailed instructions on water-bath canning, please refer to the instructions at the National Center for Home Preservation.

I had 7 full jars and 1 jar that was 3/4 full so it didn’t go in the boiling-water bath. It went in the refrigerator after it cooled down.

 

7) Remove the jars and store. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove the jars, and let them sit on the counter for 24 hours to cool and ensure they are sealed correctly. You should hear the lids pop if they are sealed properly. Place the sealed jars in a cool, dry place for storage for up to a year.  If any of the jars do not seal properly, place them in the refrigerator. They will last for a couple of months in the refrigerator.

 

I enjoyed some of the jam in the unprocessed jar, then placed it in the refrigerator. The rest of the jars are going in my jam cabinet to give away as gifts.

 

Happy Canning and Baking!

Cathy

Blood Orange Marmalade from the Heart

Happy Valentine’s Day!  Today is the day we share gifts from the heart with friends and loved ones around the world.  So my dear friends and visitors, this Blood Orange Marmalade is my gift to you. 

 

I haven’t made marmalade in a while and I just got a new cooktop so I had to test it out. The cooktop works great and so did the marmalade! 

I hope you enjoy it.

 

Blood Orange Marmalade Recipe

Makes: approximately 4 half-pints

From: The Joy of Jams, Jellies and Other Sweet Preserves by Linda Ziedrich.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 pounds blood oranges
• 7 cups water
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups sugar

 

Directions:

If the oranges are not home-picked or labeled organic, put them in a colander in the sink and pour boiling water over them to remove any wax.  Scrub them well.

 

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest of the oranges in large strips, leaving behind as much of the white pith as possible. I had to scrape off the extra pith with a small utility knife.

 

Slice the strips crosswise into very thin shreds.  Put the shredded zest into a saucepan with 2 1/2 cups of water.

 

Cut the oranges into chunks without removing the pith.  Put the orange chunks into a nonreactive pan with 4 1/2 cups of water.

 

Bring the contents of both pans to a boil.  Ok. This photo isn’t really part of the process, I just had to get a shot of my new cooktop. 

 

Reduce the heat and crush the orange chunks with a potato masher. 

 

Gently boil the contents of both pans, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

 

Drain the liquid from the saucepan of orange zest into the pot of oranges, reserving the zest.  Pour the oranges (and water) into a damp jelly bag set over a bowl or pan.  I used my Chinois lined with cheesecloth.

 

Let the juice drip fro several hours and then measure it. I ran some errands while the juice was dripping into the pan.

 

You should have 2 1/2 to 3 cups of juice. I ended up with 2 3/4 cups of juice.

 

Discard the contents of the jelly bag.

 

Combine the juice in a preserving pan with the zest, the lemon juice, and 1 cup of sugar for each cup of juice. I had 2 3/4 cups of juice so I used 2 3/4 cups of sugar.  Over medium heat, stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves.

 

Raise the heat to medium-high and boil the mixture until it reaches 220 degrees F. on a jelly thermometer or mounds in a chilled dish.

 

I used a thermometer and it worked really well for this recipe.  Sure enough, the marmalade was done when the thermometer reached 220 degrees F.

 

Remove the pan from the heat and let the marmalade cool for 5 minutes.  It will thicken a bit during this time.  Stir the marmalade and then ladle it into half-pint mason jars or 8 oz jelly jars.  Add lids and rings, and process the jars for 10 minutes in a boiling- water bath.  Refer to the instructions at the National Center for Home Preservation.

 

I ended up with 2 1/2 jars so I only processed 2 jars and placed the other jar in the refrigerator to enjoy.

 

Happy Canning and Baking!
Cathy

 

Here are some of the references I use in my canning adventures.

• Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
• The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving
• Keeping The Harvest: Discover the Homegrown Goodness of Putting Up Your Own Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs
• National Center for Home Preservation

Peach and Lavender Butter

When my youngest son and I visited our favorite farm a few weeks ago, I bought two different varieties of peaches – Jersey Queen and Sun Prince. Both varieties were juicy and delicious, but as my son so aptly put it, the Jersey Queens were the really sweet ones and the “jammable” ones were the Sun Princes. We enjoyed eating both varieties, but I used most of the Sun Prince peaches for canning.

I started by making a double batch of Lord Grey Peach Preserves.  These preserves are so good I’ve been eating them by the spoonful. I’ve also been giving some away so I don’t eat them all myself.

Even after making a double batch of preserves and sending a bag of peaches with my son when he went back to school, I still had a bunch of peaches left.  I decided it was time to make peach butter.

I found this recipe for Peach and Lavender Butter and had just enough peaches to make it.  Last year, I made Peach and Lavender Jam and I really liked the lavender flavor so I was pretty much sold on this recipe before I even tried it.

 

Peach and Lavender Butter Recipe

Yield: About Six 8oz (250 mL) Jars

Recipe from: Homemade Living: Canning & Preserving with Ashley English: All You Need to Know to Make Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Chutneys & More

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds peaches (peeled, pitted, and chopped roughly)
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons fresh or dried lavender buds (I used dry)
• 3 tablespoons bottled lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 3 cups granulated sugar

 

Directions:

1. Bring 1/3 cup water to boil.  Place the lavender buds in a small bowl.  Pour in the boiling water; cover, and steep for 15 minutes. Strain the liquid through a mesh sieve and set aside. Be sure to keep the strained lavender buds. 

   

2. Prepare canner, jars and lids.  For more information, visit the National Center for Home Preservation web site.

3. Combine the lavender water, peaches, lemon juice, and zest in a heavy, stainless steel pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes , until the peach mixture thickens and clings to a spoon.  Remove from heat.

   

4. Once the peach mixture has cooled slightly, puree it in the blender or food processor or press it through a food mill or fine-meshed sieve.  Return the puree to the pot, add the sugar and lavender buds and bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. 

   

5. Stir the mixture continually until the sugar is completely dissolved. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes.

   

    

6. Ladle peach butter into clean, hot 1/2-pint jars. Wipe rims, seal, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. 

   Refer to the National Center for Home Preservation web site for more info on canning and to check processing times for high altitudes. 

7. Remove the canner lid and let the jars rest in the canner for 5 minutes.
8. Remove the jars from the canner and place on the counter to cool. Let them rest overnight, then move to a cool, dry place for storage.

   

 

Here are some of the references I use in my canning adventures.

• Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
• The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving
• Keeping The Harvest: Discover the Homegrown Goodness of Putting Up Your Own Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs
• National Center for Home Preservation