Easy Jam (Paleo & SCD)

Easy Jam.

Well I don’t know that this even counts as a recipe!  It’s so simple. :)

Ingredients:

• Fresh or frozen berries (Blueberries or Mixed Berries are good.  Don't use just raspberries, see update below.)

• Water

Optional:

Juice of 1 lemon

Honey to taste.

Instructions:

• Put your berries into a saucepan with enough water to cover the base.
• Heat over medium heat until boiling.
• Reduce the heat to medium/low and simmer, stirring occasionally.

Timing:

I used frozen berries and left them on the stove for between 30-45 minutes until thickened.  It will thicken further when cool.  Be careful in the last 15 minutes that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

As sugar acts as a preservative in jam, this version won’t keep as long.  Store in the fridge for a week or so.

In summer, use fresh fruit and store in zip lock bags in the freezer.

Notes:

You can add lemon juice to add more pectin to help set.  I’ve tried this with a bag of frozen mixed berries and also blueberries.  I didn’t find I needed the lemon juice.

Add honey to taste, but again, I didn’t think it needed any.  

There it is; the simplest recipe ever!

UPDATE:  I tried this recipe with a bag of frozen raspberries and I wasn't happy with the results.  It makes a lovely coulis, but not jam.  You have to strain out the seeds of the raspberries and after doing that there's only a raspberry juice left that doesn't thicken very much.  I'll have to see what I can make with this raspberry coulis! 
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Try it in my Berry & Coconut Slice or on my English Scones.