Kitchen Jam

Image by p0psicle via Flickr

Okay, I couldn’t resist – I decided to try this recipe for Cherry Apple Jam, which uses frozen cherries. This recipe is slightly different from the basic Frozen Fruit Freezer Jam (see 12 Jams of Christmas #6) – and it’s a canned, processed jam. It’s a beautiful dark-red jam; I added almond extract to make the cherry flavor smile and the chopped apple helps the jam texture. Enjoy!

CHERRY APPLE JAM
1 16 oz pkg frozen unsweetened (pitted) tart cherries, thawed
1 medium tart apple, cored & finely chopped (about ¾ cup chopped)
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 teaspoon almond extract
5 c. sugar
1 (3/4 oz.) pkg. powdered pectin

• Thaw the frozen cherries in a colander over a bowl, reserving the juice.
• Check the cherries for pits and finely chop them (you can use a food processor or blender.) Finely chop (but don’t peel) the apple (I use a Granny Smith or other tart apple.)
• Mix the chopped cherries, chopped apple, almond extract and reserved cherry juice together.
• Measure to make sure you have 3 cups of chopped fruit and juice. If you need more fruit, increase the amount of chopped apple.
• In an 8-10 qt saucepan, put the 3 cups of chopped fruit and juice.
• Add the lemon juice and pectin to the cherry-apple mixture and stire well.
• Bring the cherries, juices and pectin to a full rolling boil, stirring often.
• Boil hard for 1 minute.
• Remove the fruit mixture from the heat and quickly skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
• Ladle the jam into into hot jars, leaving 1/4″ headspace, and wipe the jar rims.
• Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes according to the directions for hot-water-bath canning from the USDA.

Makes about 5 one-cup or 10 half-cup jars of jam.