Featured Recipe
Spiced Peach Freezer Jam
By Kate
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Chunky peach jam with a hint of ginger and cinnamon, using a less sweet approach. Peaches pulsed to coarse puree, combined with citrus for brightness and alternative sweeteners for balanced sugar levels. Quick pectin boil ensures proper gel without graininess. Jarred with headspace for freezing, setting without rushing. Keeps well chilled or frozen, lasting months without losing texture. A practical approach to freezer jam, avoiding pitfalls like grainy sugar or overly stiff gel.
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Prep:
50 min
Cook:
6 min
Total:
56 min
Serves:
6 cups
jam
peach
freezer
spiced
preserving
Introduction
Peach jam that grabs your attention with texture and a hint of spice. No satin-smooth puree here. You want recognizable bits amid a syrupy base with gentle, aromatic warmth from cinnamon and sharp zing from fresh ginger. Sweetness dialed down, replaced partly by honey for body and complexity. Pectin needs patience—too hot, too cold, too little stirring and you get grainy mess. Use lemon juice to set the pH just right, crucial for gel formation. Peel by blanching—the skin slips like magic, no knife frustration. Freeze it in jars with just enough room to breathe or refrigerate short-term. The table-tested process cuts guesswork and saves wasted fruit and sugar.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Peach quality will dictate jam flavor. Choose ripe, fragrant fruit but not overripe or too juicy to prevent watery jam. Fresh ginger adds a bite without overpowering; powdered works in pinch but less vibrant. Organic cane sugar or turbinado yields cleaner sweetness; honey adds moisture and works well to replace part of sugar—don’t use artificial sweeteners as they don’t gel. Liquid pectin is more straightforward, easier to incorporate smoothly, but powdered is fine with extra care to evenly dissolve. Lemon juice types vary in acid strength—fresh preferred but bottled acceptable. Water softened pectin before boiling reduces lumps, preventing grainy texture. Use jars intended for freezing; glass can crack if packed too tight or no headspace.
Method
Technique Tips
Jam making needs patience. Don’t rush dissolving sugar or pectin. Stir sugar long enough in fruit base so it’s partially dissolved before adding hot pectin; prevents gritty bite. Watch pectin boil carefully—too long deactivates, too short leaves raw taste. Constant agitation is key during boiling. Folding hot pectin quickly into cool fruit balances temps to prevent premature setting or lumps. Sparing headspace in jars avoids bursting and mess in freezer. Let jam set uncovered or loosely covered—this encourages proper gel formation by allowing steam release. Before sealing tight, check set by gently pressing surface—it should hold but yield under finger pressure. Fix runny jam by reheating; if too stiff, loosen with water and stir; reheating resets gel chemistry. Always label jars with date and contents; best within a year frozen.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Pick ripe, fragrant peaches; they're crucial for intense flavor. Chose slightly firm, not overripe. If too soft, jam gets watery. Fresh ginger is zesty; can't beat it. Powdered works but lacks brightness. Adjusting sweetness? Substitute with maple syrup; but test consistency.
- 💡 Pectin should go in bubbling water. Watch reaction carefully. Too hot and bad texture forms. Too cold means unreliable gelling. Stir vigorously before boiling. Check for lumps. Heating pectin takes skill, prevent big clumps forming. Agitation during boiling is vital.
- 💡 Sugar dissolving takes time; need patience here. Clock it at 12 minutes, stirring every 3. Sugar syrup must form fully. If not, jam can be gritty. Folding hot pectin into cool mix means balance temperature to avoid gelatin clumping.
- 💡 Use jars designed for freezing. Glass jars risk cracking if packed tight. Leave plenty of headspace for expansion. Let jam set uncovered for steam escape; covers trap moisture.
- 💡 Check jam firmness by slight pressure. Should hold but still yield. If not, reheat gently with splash of water, stir until smooth. Some watery run-off? Thaw in fridge slowly to makeup lost texture.
Kitchen Wisdom
How long will it last?
Refrigerate for 4 weeks, freeze for up to a year. Thaw in fridge, but beware quick changes, can alter texture.
What if jam is too thin?
Let it sit at room temp longer. But if thin persists, can reheat. Add touch of water and blend till uniform.
What are alternatives to sugar?
Honey's a choice. Maple syrup too but tweaks gelling. If using stevia or others, testing needed for consistent results.
Can I use frozen peaches?
Yes, thaw for the right purée consistency. Just aim for less juicy, drain excess before pureeing for best results.
