Nectarine And Peach Jam With Lemon Verbena Recipes

PEACH & NECTARINE JAM (LOW SUGAR)

Steps:

• Gather all your fruits and wash them. Make a cross on the bottom of each peach. Place the fruit is simmering water for 45-60 seconds.
• Proceed by peeling the fruit.
• Chop the fruit into regular medium-size pieces.
• Put the fruits in a pot and cover them with sugar. Add the juice of one squeezed lemon.
• Let the mixture simmer on the stovetop at low heat for 1 hour.
• At this point you can check the consistency of your jam (see notes). If it is not yet ready, you can continue letting it simmer for 15 minutes more.
• Now your jam is ready and you can store it in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or can it.
• If you decide to can it, make sure to sterilize your jars and lids. When the jam is still hot, place it inside each jar with the help of a canning funnel. Close it. Boil it for 20-40 minutes. Remove it for the water and place it upside down in a dry place for 12 hours.

STONE FRUIT JAM

Steps:

• Toss fruit and sugar together in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Let sit for at least 15 minutes or up to overnight, tossing periodically to coat and to dissolve the sugar. (This will help coax the juices out of the fruit.)
• Place a small plate in the refrigerator to chill. (You'll use this later.)
• Bring the fruit to a strong simmer over medium heat until the skins burst and the juices start to boil, 10 to 15 minutes. If using a vanilla bean as an add-in, put it in the pot now.
• Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook the jam, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or spatula at first and more frequently as juices thicken until most of the liquid has evaporated and the fruit has begun to break down, about 25 to 35 minutes. How much it breaks down will depend on the type of fruit and how ripe it is. (For example, peaches are likely to retain their shape, while plums and apricots will break down almost entirely.)
• As the jam cooks, the liquid reduces, the sugars thicken and the natural pectins activate. You'll notice the liquid go from a rapid, rolling boil with smaller bubbles to a slow, thick, tarlike boil with larger bubbles. This is the stage at which it's most important to stir constantly along the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching and sticking. (Sugar is heavier than water and will concentrate there, increasing the chance that the fruit will burn.) It's also the stage at which splattering may occur, so take care in stirring.
• When the jam reaches a slow, thick boil, add lemon juice and any of the add-ins (see note). Continue to cook, stirring constantly until the jam has returned to its previously thickened state, about another 5 minutes. To test the consistency, spoon a bit of jam onto the chilled plate, return it to the refrigerator and chill for 2 minutes. Drag your finger through it: It should hold its shape on either side without appearing watery or runny. If it's not there yet, cook it a few minutes more.
• Remove from heat, and pick out vanilla bean, if you added it earlier. Divide between jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top of the jar, and seal immediately. Can the jams (see our How to Make Jam guide for more instruction), or store in the refrigerator, using them up within a couple of weeks.

NECTARINE AND PEACH JAM WITH LEMON VERBENA

Steps:

• Grate zest from half the lemon and place zest in a large saucepan. Juice lemon and add the juice to the zest. Toss in fruit, sugar, salt and lemon verbena and bring to a simmer. Turn mixture into a large bowl and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, if you plan to can the jam, prepare the jars according to the instructions here.
• Strain the liquid from the mixture into a wide, shallow pot or large skillet, reserving the fruit. Bring liquid to a simmer and cook until it thickens enough to wrinkle on the surface when you push it with a spoon (a candy thermometer should read 220 degrees).
• Remove lemon verbena from fruit and add fruit to the pot with the syrup. Simmer fruit gently until mixture looks very thick and jamlike. You can test the jam to see if it's ready by freezing a small plate. Drop a bit of the jam on the plate, let it cool for a minute and then push it with your finger. The top should wrinkle. If syrup is thin and runny, keep cooking and test again in a few minutes (return plate to freezer in the meantime).
• If canning, spoon into hot sterilized jars and process as directed. Otherwise, let jam cool, then store in refrigerator or freezer.

CERTO® NECTARINE JAM

Steps:

• Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain jars well before filling.
• Pit and finely chop nectarines. Measure exactly 4-1/2 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. Stir in lemon juice.
• Stir sugar into prepared fruit in saucepot. Add butter to reducing foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin. Return to full rolling boil and boil 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
• Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

NECTARINE JAM

Steps:

• Cook all ingredients at a very mild boil for 30-minutes.
• *At this point you can add optional spices of your choice such as 1 teaspoons cinnamon, almond extract, or ground ginger, or 1 tblsp. brandy extract; or any favorite combination. Cook for 5 minutes more.
• Skim foam off surface.
• Ladle into sterilized jars.
• Process in boiling water bath for 10-mins.