Ingredients For A Fabulous Life
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How can such a simple and fast recipe like this Berry and White Chocolate Jam be so spectacular on your Filled Almond Scone?
BERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE JAM
My recipe for Berry and White Chocolate Jam brings together the bright and tangy flavors of sweet assorted berries.
And with just a few minutes of simmering, transforms them into a luscious, thick jam. Then we “gild the lily” for an even more heavenly concoction with the addition of hunks of smooth white chocolate. OMG!!!
THE SECRET OF MAKING A FABULOUS JAM IS PECTIN
Pectin is a water-soluble fiber that occurs naturally in most fruits, with the highest concentration in the peel or skin. When used in jelly and jam making, it gives them their spreadable consistency, and causes the mixture to set up properly.
Fully ripe fruit, while generally sweeter and more delicious, contains less pectin than slightly under-ripe fruit, whether in the high-pectin or low-pectin category.
This batch of Berry and White Chocolate Jam is made with a combination of raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.
HOW PECTIN WORKS TO MAKE JAMS, JELLIES & PRESERVES
Fruits low in pectin usually need to pair with high-pectin fruits to set up properly. You can also add commercial or homemade pectin to compensate for naturally low amounts or to speed the process.
Pectin, whether naturally occurring or added, requires heat, sugar, and acid to activate.
Some acidic fruits with high levels of pectin such as lemons gel easily without much coercing. Low-acid, low-pectin fruits such as strawberries require some finessing to turn them into a spreadable concoction.
Lemon juice provides the necessary acid in many berry jam recipes, while a traditional red currant-strawberry blend combines both low and high pectin fruits.
Combining fruits in different categories is the best way to give your jam real depth of flavor and ensure it will set up properly.
Homemade jams, jellies and preserves begin with fresh fruits, cooking them until they break down into a thick sauce-like consistency. The cooking process releases the pectin chains from the fruit, allowing them to collapse into a jammy thickness.
In order to make the fruit mash into a jam, the process requires the addition of sugar, which absorbs the excess moisture. The sugar molecules also help give the final mixture its viscous consistency.
HOW MUCH PECTIN IS IN DIFFERENT FRUITS
Since pectin is a naturally occurring element in fruits, the amount differs from variety to variety. Here’s a list showing where each fruit ranks in their pectin content.
High-Pectin Fruits
- tart, under ripe apples
- unripe blackberries
- lemons, limes
- crab apples
- cranberries
- currants
- gooseberries
- plums (not the Italian variety)
- grapes (Concord variety only)
- quinces
Moderate-Pectin Fruits
- ripe apples
- ripe blackberries
- sour cherries
- chokecherries
- elderberries
- grapefruits
- grapes (California)
- oranges
Low-Pectin Fruits
- apricots
- blueberries
- ripe cherries
- Italian plums
- peaches
- pears
- guavas
- pineapple
- raspberries
- strawberries
LET’S MAKE HOMEMADE BERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE JAM
The basic ingredients for any berry jam include:
- A combination of berries: Such as strawberries, blackberries, blueberries or raspberries. One of my favorites is a local hybrid berry that grows wild here in the mountains of North Carolina that we call a “marionberry”. Don’t ask me why!
- Sugar or Sweetener: White sugar is most commonly used, but I have seen some refrigerator jam recipes that use honey
- Lemon juice: A healthy squirt of lemon juice not only adds brightness to your jams, but it also interacts with the pectin to help develop a lovely consistency
NAN’S TIP: DON’T WORRY WHEN THE FRUIT MIXTURE BEGINS TO FOAM, JUST SKIM IT OFF AND DISCARD IT AS THE JAM COOKS
WHEN IS MY BERRY JAM DONE?
Here’s a trick to test your jam for doneness once it has begun to thicken as it simmers:
- Before beginning the cooking process, place 3 metal teaspoons in the freezer. When your jam has thickened and is ready to be tested, remove the pot from the heat to stop the simmering process.
- Take one spoon from the freezer and dip the back of the spoon into the surface of the jam. If the jam is still not thick enough, continue cooking in 5 minute increments before testing again.
THE RECIPE CARD IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST
HERE’S WHAT I’M SERVING MY BERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE JAM ON!
These lovely Filled Almond Scones contain centers stuffed with addictive and decadent chunks of almond paste. They’re soft, slightly sweet, and oh-so fabulous when paired with my Berry and White Chocolate Jam! YUMMY!
Both recipes are featured in my Easter Brunch Buffet this year. I created the recipes and menu with the holiday hostess in mind, so it’s full of “make-ahead” items. Let’s check out the menu!
- Filled Almond Scones served with Berry and White Chocolate Jam
- Baked Ham with 3 Mustards served with Assorted Rolls, Sliced Breads and Baguettes
- Marinated Cheeses & Vegetable Platter with Zesty Italian Vinaigrette
CLICK HERE TO READ THE RELATED POSTS:
ZIPPY HORSERADISH BEER MUSTARD
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Berry and White Chocolate Jam
The bright and tangy flavors of sweet assorted berries simmered into a luscious, thick jam are made even for heavenly with the addition of decadent chunks of white chocolate.
Ingredients
- 6 cups assorted berries. larger berries cut up (read section on pectin)
- 2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- About 2 cups sugar (depending on ripeness of fruit)
- 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
- Thickening Agent like E-Z Gel (optional)
- 4 oz. good quality white chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Place 3 spoons into a glass and place into your freezer. (for testing your jam's thickness)
- Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat, then add berries, lemon juice, sugar and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook at a low-simmer, uncovered for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Use masher to smash berries into small pieces once mixture begins to simmer.
- If you want to speed up the process, use a thickening agent according to the directions on the package.
- Cool jam completely. Stir in chopped white chocolate and store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- SERVE WITH FILLED ALMOND SCONES!
Notes
If you'd like a smoother jam, use an immersion blender to break down the larger pieces of fruit in the jam.
Nutrition Information
Yield 24 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 106Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 1mgSodium 17mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 1gSugar 22gProtein 1g
Nutritional information should be considered an estimate only; please consult a registered dietician, nutritionist, or your physician for specific health-related questions. Please note that the recipe above is published using a recipe card plugin, with preexisting software which can auto-calculate metric measurements, as well as change the number of servings. Metric conversions and changes to the number of servings (resulting in different ingredient amounts) will only appear in the ingredient list, and are not changed within the step-by-step directions of the recipe.
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