With the same motive of making jams without added store bought pectin or other preservatives, this is an Apple and Peach Jam. With the tanginess of peach and sweetness and a bit of sourness of apple, this recipe again uses the natural pectin already preserved in the two fruits and additionally in the seeds of apple and stone of peach.

The learning fact this time – ‘There is pectin in the cores/seeds of certain fruits that helps the jam to ‘set’.’ – thanks to this elegant blog post – http://merrynsmenu.blogspot.in/2013/04/peach-and-apple-jam.html

So, I got 100% organic apples and peaches, pectin from apple seeds and peach stones, minimal sugar (400 gms sugar for 1200 gms of fruit with the core and stone) and scored well with a good consistency Jam.

I would suggest a reduction of 100 gms of sugar, as the jam seemed a bit higher on the sugar side, but go on with the same 400 gms if you prefer a sweet jam as store-bought.

Thanks to my little one who chopped a few apples and squeezed lemons in the making of this healthy Jam with natural pectin.

 

Apple and Peach Jam

 

Ingredients

• peaches – 4 no.s – app. 400 gms
• apples – 6 no.s – app. 800 gms
• sugar – 400 gms
• lemon juice – juice of 4 lemons
• apple cores and peach stones – tied in a clean muslin cloth
• water – 1/2 cup – app. 150 ml

 

Method of Preparation

Part I

 

1. Wash the peaches and apples.
2. Soak them in turmeric-salt water for 1/2 an hour.

 

apples

and peaches

 

Part II

Before cooking the plum, there are two other things that are essential in the making of Jam-

a) Plate in the Freezer

Place a plate in the freezer and a few spoons- we need to check for consistency later by placing the jam in the chilled plate.

b)Sterilize the bottles with lid

1. Wash the bottles and lids to store jam very well with no food particles sticking to it.
2. Take a big bowl and place the washed bottles and lids on sides.
3. Fill water in the bowl immersing the bottles.
4. Let the water come to a full boil.
5. Close with lid and let it stay till the jam is done.

Part III
1. De-skin the fruits and cut into small pieces.

2. In a hard bottomed vessel, first add the chopped apples and water and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer.

Note: If both fruits are added together, apple remains hard but peach tends to become soft, as peaches cook faster than apple.

3. Then, add peach and sugar and stir well.

4. Tie the apple cores and peach seeds in a clean white muslin cloth and keep it dipped in the fruit-sugar mixture and let it boil for 10 minutes.

Note: It is suggested in http://merrynsmenu.blogspot.in/2013/04/peach-and-apple-jam.html  to immerse the apple cores and peach seed just after apples are brough to boil – i.e. before adding peaches and sugar, but I forgot that step. So after addition of peach and sugar, I dipped the cores and stones. Yet, it turned out be perfect…lucky me.

 

5. After 10 minutes, remove the cloth with seeds and add lemon juice to the cooking mixture.

6. Let the mixture cook well and set to jam consistency.

7. Check in-between with the plate in the freezer for consistency – swipe a spoon of jam on the plate and split into two halves with a spoon. If it sets well and isn’t flowing on the plate, jam is done. Else, cook for some more time.

 

8. When the jam has reached the required consistency, switched off flame.

 

9. Pour into sterilized hot bottles directly from stove and close lid tightly.

10. Do not pour hot jam in cold bottles, otherwise the bottles would crack.

11. Leave the jam to cool by itself. Do not engage in cooling by other means. That would affect the setting of the Jam.

12. Enjoy with home made bread or bun. Also try in tarts or pies.