This White Currant Jam is something you have to try this summer. It is easy to make, delicious, and has such a pretty colour. Made with a reduced amount of sugar, a bit of time and lots of love :)
We said goodbye to July last week and welcomed August, the last month of summer. I'm not sure how this happened? To me, it seems that summer has only just begun, and I long for those long, hot summer months I once knew! The lazy holidays in the sunshine, the salty air, the sand beneath my feet, and the endless roar of the ocean...
But this year everything is a bit more complicated and the weather isn't that great either, so we just need to make do with what we have: appreciating the little moments and enjoying the rich variety of fruits and vegetables that summer can offer, nourishing our bodies and souls :) For me, such fruits are currants: white, red and black.
White currants are rare and not many people know them. They are just like red currants, full of vitamins (C, E, and even a few B), antioxidants, and very low in sugar, but a tiny bit sweeter and therefore less tart. They look like little pearls and it's so therapeutic to pick them!
White Currant Jam – reduced sugar
Prep time: 20 min
Cooking time: 30 - 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Servings: approx. 5 small jars
INGREDIENTS · 1500g fresh white currants · 700g sugar · 1 sachet pectin (8g) - add more for a thicker consistency · clean, sterilised jars
DIRECTIONS
1. Wash the white currants thoroughly in cold water.
2. De-stem the berries and place them in a large saucepan. Mix the sugar with the pectin, then add it to the white currants.
3. Bring it to the boil, then let it simmer, stirring regularly.
4. After about 30 min, spoon some white currant jam onto a cold plate* to test the thickness. Wait a few minutes until the jam cools down and try it.
5. When your jam reached the desired texture, spoon it into the sterilised jars while the jam is boiling hot. Once a jar is filled, tighten the lid, and place it under a blanket** and let it cool for at least 24 hrs.
6. Store the jam in a dry cupboard for up to 6 months. Once opened, keep it in the fridge and consume within a few days.
* Pop an empty plate in the fridge before you start preserving, it will quicken the cooling process.
**This is an old method that I learned from my mom to conserve jams and pickles at home for longer shelf life.
Tip: White currants will naturally turn pinkish as you boil them.
Serve this delicious White Currant Jam on toast for breakfast or with your favourite scone as an afternoon treat.
Tip: You can leave out the added pectin as white currants are a naturally high pectin fruit, but then you'll need to add more sugar to your jam and cook it longer.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know how it went in the Comments below and share a photo on Instagram with the tag: #madelaineskitchen