This summer, I am not setting any blog deadlines. Unlike last summer I am not posting two recipes a week. But, I am cooking up a storm and doing a lot of experiments. I have performed a yogurt experiment and now fruit preserves. After this, I am going to conduct an ice-cream experiment.
As I mentioned in my last post, I am slowing down the blog work a bit as I am making a WordPress theme for Story of Cooks. Anyhow, you can find all news about the blog in that last post. Now I don’t want to bore you with my busy life and who is not busy in this world. But we are working on a good news (not baby) and hope I can divulge that to you guys pretty soon.
Matthew loves fruit preserves. Every day he eats a spoonful with his yogurt and granola. That’s his thing. When I don’t make, he pays a lot to buy organic fruit preserves (he never complains though). Last fall I made fruit butter and since then I wanted to make summer fruit preserves.
I tried a little sample batch of Plum preserve last Sunday and after that I wanted to make more. So on Friday early morning, we went to Boston’s historic Hay Market (since 1830) and bought about 12 pounds of fruits. Hay Market is known for it’s cheap produces so I got about 12 pounds of fruits in $25. I made 6 cans of organic fruit preserve which costs only $20. And most importantly these preserves are chemical free and cent percent organic.
Some glimpses of Hay Market ~~
Fruit preserve, the term scares you right? To be honest, it’s the simplest and easiest to make. You won’t need a recipe to make fruit preserves. In my recipe, you will only find lemon juice and teeny weeny sugar. And I am telling you, that’s it!! Your fruit butter/preserve is done. Now is that a rocket science?
How can you enjoy them?
Breakfast: Toast +Peanut Butter + Preserve(s)
or Toast + Cream Cheese + Preserve(s)
Appetizer: Crackers + Soft Cheese (Goat or Brie) + Preserve(s)
Dessert: Yogurt + Granola + Preserve(s)
These are concentrated fruit so no they are not low in calories. But 1 tablespoon is allowed in your meal as they are extremely low in artificial sugar.
So what are you waiting for? You got some bountiful summer fruits – save your summer in jars and make these easy preserves.
Recipes for a Fruit Preserves
This is a very generic recipe.
You can use any fruits, but I have used Plums, Pears, Strawberries, Blueberries, Apricot. Sugar quantity varies from fruits to fruits, so adjust accordingly. Cooking time varies depending upon the fruits.
Flavor Pairing:
Apricot –> Vanilla
Plum –> Cinnamon
Pears –> Ginger
Sterilize Canning Jar:
I run the jars in dish washer under quick wash mode and keep the dishwasher closed until they are ready to use. In that way, jars stay warm.
Kitchn: How to Sterlize the canning jar?
2 pounds fruits*, chopped
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons granulated sugar*
Flavor pairing*(if required)
Juice of 1 lemon
- In a thick bottom soup pot, add chopped fruits, 1/4 cup water, and sugar. Over medium-low heat, cook for 1 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours.*
- When you see it’s reduced and thick, add flavors, lemon juice and continue to cook for an another 20 to 30 minutes. Your preserve should be quite thick at this point.
- Sterilize the canning jar and transfer the fruit preserve into the jars. Let it cool completely before closing. Keep the preserves in refrigerator.
Awesome post ! Enjoyed every bit of reading and learning !!
Loved the pics…noticed that it is similar to homemade jam.. by the way the label handwriting are good too… 🙂
OMG! Such a lovely post. I wanted to dive in for those fresh looking fruits. Good job done with all your preserves and I appreciate your quick checklist on flavour pairing. Huggies Dolly.
Simple and beautiful. Wow!!
Deeba, it means a lot when you comment
Thanks dear!!
Such a lovely post, I actually felt I was sitting with you to enjoy all that gorgeous preserve and crackers. Making preserves is so therapeutic and I started making my own a few years ago …I’m planning a mixed fruit, let’s see how that goes. If you were next doors I would have stolen some 🙂
waiting for the good news 🙂
wow.. awesome!! I am going to try this fr sure!! Love the combo of granola & soft cheese..
Simi,
You know what news that is!! 🙂 And I so wish I could share some of these preserves with you.
Awesome post….! Great flavor pairing and beautiful shots …..!Love the new look of your blog…… Love the popping up of your logo when scrolled up and popping down when scrolled down.
It’s always a treat to devour your pictures! 🙂
That fruit river 🙂 pic is my favorite. Love the low sugar preserve and outdoor pics..
Waiting for the big news reveal 🙂
Meena,
Hopefully very soon!! It’s life changing for us.