Jams

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APPLE JAM

 

Apples cook down into jam easily; they have a great flavor. Making your own jam is fun, and worth the little extra time and effort it takes from start to finish. Apple Jam will leave you longing for more, whether you have it mixed in with some yogurt or spread on toast with butter. You can even make a big batch and transfer them into little bottles and hand them out as gifts!

INGREDIENTS

1 kg Apples

1kg Sugar

one Glass

Water

Juice of 2 Lemons divided

METHOD

Rinse the apples with warm water.

Fill a large bowl with cold water and add the juice of 1 squeezed lemon.

Core and peel the apples and add each apple to the lemon water as you work.

Adding the lemon to the water is to prevent the apples from becoming brown in color.

Add the sugar, water, and the juice of the other lemon to a large heavy-bottomed pot where you are going to make the jam. On low heat stir constantly until the mixture becomes a clear syrup.

Add one tablespoon of red food color to the syrup to give the apples a red appetizing color!!

Drain the whole apples and pour into the boiling syrup and boil uncovered for around 30 - 40 minutes while removing any scum that rises to the top. The larger the apples the longer time it needs to get cooked.

Do not mix thoroughly, otherwise, the whole apples in the cooking process will fall apart. Neatly stir with a small spoon or a wooden spoon.

When the apples seem transparent in color, it means that they are done.

Spoon the finished jam into clean sterilized jars, cover tightly, and let cool before refrigerating.

STRAWBERRY JAM

 

Strawberry Jam doesn't get any easier! It takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. Nothing better than fresh, and delicious strawberry jam on toast! 

INGREDIENTS

1 kg Strawberries, washed and sliced

4 cups White Sugar

 1 squeezed Lemon

METHOD

Wash, drain and hull the fruit

In a wide bowl, mash the strawberries with a blender until you have four cups of mashed strawberry.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, mix together the mashed strawberries, sugar and, lemon juice, stir to combine. Over low heat cook the strawberries, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. If a lot of foam rises to the surface, skim it away. When the sugar is completely dissolved, increase the temperature and bring the mixture to a boil while frequently stirring. When it reaches maximum heat, and the juice reduce and thicken, turn off the heat, and put a spoonful of the jam on a frozen plate, check it in a few minutes, if it wrinkles when you nudge it, it’s done.

Let it cool enough before transferring to the prepared jars, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace, and seal.

Note

Strawberry jam is best to use good quality, fresh strawberries.

LEBANESE WHOLE GREEN FIG JAM

 

The flavor and aroma of Fig jam are amazing!!! This traditional Lebanese sweet and syrupy Fig Jam, made yearly in the country when figs are in season.

We call it jam, but it can be a dessert as they have this natural, honey-like sweetness, a delicious spread, perfect on a biscuit or served with cheese, or with cream and walnuts...

INGREDIENTS

1 kg Whole Green Figs

1/2 kg Sugar

2 cups of Water

Juice of one Lemon

2 tsp. ground Anise Seed

1/2 tsp. pebbles of Arabic gum, mastic gum مستكه grounded with 1 tsp. of sugar

 1/2 cup Roasted Sesame Seeds, optional

METHOD

Rinse the figs and drain them. Dry them with a cloth before cooking and make sure you keep the tail.

With a sharp knife, make two splashes on the skin of each fig to avoid the skin from plumping while cooking.

In a cooking pot, prepare the syrup by heating the sugar and water over medium fire. Remove the froth when formed on the surface. When the syrup starts to boil and becomes crystal clear, add the figs one by one.

Keep stirring gently with a wooden spoon for at least 1/2 an hour and until the mixture begins to thicken and the figs turn to a honey golden color, add the lemon juice, Arabic gum and stir for 10 more minutes.

When stirring make sure you do it carefully to avoid getting the figs mashed, as they are too soft and tender at this stage.

When the jam is thick enough, stir in the roasted sesame seeds and turn off the heat. Pour the jam into sterilized glass jars. Make sure the figs are fully covered with syrup.

Close the jars tight and turn them upside down to avoid the formation of air pockets. Leave to cool overnight.

APRICOT JAM

 

Gold-orange jam color is obtained from apricots, that royal fruit! Apricots are not very juicy and their high content in the finished product makes apricot jam distinguished by its special flavor, aroma, and color. Apricot jam is that secret that makes all the difference in preparing cakes, tarts, or when spread on bread and pancakes. Fantastic to begin or finish a good meal with. 

INGREDIENTS

1 kg of fresh Apricots, washed, seeded & cut to halves

500 grams Sugar

1 fresh squeezed Lemon Juice

Jars for filling

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash Apricots, cut into halves, and deseed.

Mix apricots, sugar, and lemon juice in a large bowl, and soak for one day flipping the mixture frequently to combine with the sugar.

Add the apricot mixture to a cooking pot and cook at low medium heat. Skim the foam from the surface. Lower the heat when it starts to boil. keep cooking for 20 minutes.

Stir and keep skimming foam from the surface. Cook and stir gently until the apricot mixture thickens about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat.

Spoon hot jam into hot sterilized jars, leaving about 1/4 inch of space on top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the edges of the jars with dry kitchen paper to remove any food remains. Top with lids.

Let cool then store in a cool, dark area.

ORANGE SEVILLE MARMALADE

 

They have such a distinctive fragrance so you have that need of eating or smelling. You know you can’t do both at the same time!

PERFECT SEVILLE ORANGE  MARMALADE RECIPE

  

INGREDIENTS

14 Seville Oranges (makes 56 quarters)
4 cups of Water
10 cups Powdered Sugar
1 Lemon (squeezed)

METHOD

Wash the oranges and dry them

Zest your orange peels using the fine part of the grater for the job. Zest the oranges until the colored part is removed. Watch your fingers while zesting!

(This fruit peel is thick with a bright orange color and shiny outer skin. You can reserve the zested peel in the freezer and use it as flavor to your cakes and deserts, even in your stew cooking, poultry, and meats as well for a citrus taste. Zest is highly aromatic with a strong smell that is sweet and pleasant. Its flavor leans to the bitter side more than sweet).

Cut oranges in halves

Squeeze the juice

 (You can squeeze the juice from them to use as syrup in your cooking. The juice can be kept in freezer bags).

Make sure to scrape away the fruit’s pulp after squeezing the juice, by removing and discarding the interior pulp so that you just have the bare peels.

Cut the peels again into halves so they are quartered.

 (now you have 56 pieces of peels)

Place the peels in a pot of water for around 4 to 5 hours and change the water every one hour to remove the bitterness.

Once the process of soaking is finished transfer the peels into a pot of water and bring it to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove the peels from water, drain and set aside to let dry.

Make the syrup with 4 cups of water, 10 cups of powdered sugar with the juice of one lemon. Bring to a boil while stirring all the time until the sugar dissolves and the color becomes crystal clear. Keep stirring until it’s slightly thick.

Add the orange peels to the syrup, when they start to boil move to low heat and let simmer for around one hour when the peels seem tender and the syrup is thick enough to drop in a thick stream from a spoon.

Remove from heat and let the peels cool in the syrup overnight. The next morning the peels will pulp in the syrup and the syrup will be thicker.

Roll the peels and place them in jars, pour syrup over to cover.

Keep any leftover syrup separately in another jar, it is great drizzled over yogurt.

Store jars in the refrigerator, preserving them to enjoy throughout the year.

 

** Serve the peels with their syrup as part of breakfast or as an afternoon treat or dessert, with some Arabic coffee. Either serve with a knife and fork or place a toothpick in the peel to facilitate eating. You can also serve with clotted cream, for dessert. Perfect for anyone who loves marmalade, this is traditionally served on its own!