Choose-Your-Stone-Fruit Jam

• Vegan
• Gluten free

• Produce

  • 1 Lemon, juice and zest
  • 4 lbs Stone fruit

• Baking & Spices

  • 5 cups Sugar

Found on theyummylife.com

Description

Ingredients

• 4 lbs unpeeled stone fruit (10 cups pitted and cut); peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, or cherries
• 5 cups sugar
• 1 lemon, juice and zest
• *optional spices, herbs, & flavors (see directions for suggestions)

Directions

• Put 2 or 3 plates in the freezer to use later for checking gelling of jam.PREP THE FRUIT: Fruit should be pitted and cut, leaving the peel on.peaches--chopped in 1/2-inch piecesplums and apricots--quarteredcherries--halvedCOOK THE JAM: Combine ingredients in 8 to 10 quart, heavy bottom pot. A wide, shallow pan works best, if available. Heat on medium heat until sugar dissolves; then increase heat to medium-high. Bring mixture to a boil. After sugar is dissolved and fruit has boiled for 10 minutes and softened, use potato masher to press and break up fruit to desired texture. Continue to boil mixture, stirring frequently to prevent scorching on bottom of pan. Mixture will foam up and expand, and then shrink back as it cooks. After foaming subsides, use metal spoon with thin edge to skim foam from surface and discard. CHECK THE GELLING: Continue boiling until mixture visibly thickens in to a slow bubbling lava type consistency (approx. 215 degrees on a candy thermometer). Test by putting a spoonful on a chilled plate and return it to freezer for 2-3 minutes. (Remove jam pot from heat while waiting for gel test.) Check to see if it has gelled by tilting the plate. If the jam runs, it needs to cook longer; if it stays put or runs very slowly, its ready. If not, continue cooking, testing again with a chilled plate every 5 minutes until it has gelled.REFRIGERATE, FREEZE, OR CAN: Once the jam has gelled, pour it into jars or plastic containers to keep it in the refrigerator for 2 months or freezer it for up to 6 months. Use water process canning if you want to safely store the jam in jars at room temperature for a year.FOR WATER PROCESS CANNING: Add hot jam to hot  jars leaving 1/4 of headspace, and water process in water canner 15 minutes. Turn off heat, and leave jars in hot water for 5 minutes. Remove from canner and let rest undisturbed for 12 hours. Store jars in dark, cool place for up to 1 year.For canning safety:--Follow jar preparation and processing recommended by the USDA; see canning safety guidelines at http://www.freshpreserving.com For general canning tips, go to www.theyummylife.com/canning_tips*ADD SPICES, HERBS, & FLAVORS (optional), if you like. Here are some possible additions; simply stir these in and cook them along with the fruit, sugar, and lemon mixture. Taste before adding the mixture to jars to make sure you have a desirable balance of flavors; make adjustments as necessary.--Balsamic Fruit Jam -- add 3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar--Pepper Fruit Jam -- add 1 to 3 minced jalapeno or habanero peppers, with or without seeds depending on how much heat you want (this makes a great appetizer spooned over cream cheese and served with crackers); particularly good with peaches or apricots--Vanilla Bean Fruit Jam -- split open one vanilla bean and add it to the mixture as it boils; remove bean before adding jam to jars--Thyme Fruit Jam -- add 10 sprigs of fresh thyme to mixture as it boils; remove stems before adding jam to jars--Ginger Fruit Jam -- add 2 to 4 tablespoons minced fresh ginger--Cinnamon Fruit Jam -- add 1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamonRECIPE SHOULD NOT BE DOUBLED. Making a bigger volume in a single batch means a much longer cooking time and the possibility that it wont gel properly.