How To Make Apple and Mint Jam

Homemade Jam Recipes

Ingredients: Apple and Mint Jam Recipe

2 lb / 1,000 grams of sharp cooking apples
2 lb / 1,000 grams of eating apples (use fruit with a strong flavour, such as Cox's Pippins)
4 1/2 lb / 2,000 grams of white sugar
2 oz / 55 grams of freshly picked mint (reducing this amount if you would like a more subtle mint flavour)
15 fl oz / 450 ml of tap water
1 lemon
1 teaspoon butter

Method - What To Do

Although this is more of a jam than a jelly, the strong mint flavour provides a noticeable savoury element and it is very enjoyable when combined with roast pork or roast lamb, instead of a more traditional apple sauce or mint sauce.

Wash, peel and roughly chop your apples, removing the central core. Add the chopped apples into a large pan and combine with the juice of one lemon, the water and the sugar.

Place the pan onto a hob and turn the heat to a medium setting, so that the apple and mint mixture will warm through and start to simmer. Regularly stir the liquid to encourage all of the sugar to dissolve before the mixture starts to bubble. This is important, as it will prevent crystals appearing later on, in your finished jam.

Stir the apple mixture occasionally, to prevent it burning or catching on the bottom of the actual saucepan. Allow it to boil for a few minutes and then reduce the heat to a strong simmer. Finely chop the sprigs of mint and stir them in, and then simmer the apple and mint mixture for around ten to 15 minutes.

The plentiful natural pectin present within the apples and the high cooking temperature will soon combine to create a setting point. Test this by using a chilled saucer or spoon from a freezer, dripping a little of the jam onto the saucer or spoon, and seeing if it remains runny or sets after roughly a minute.

If your jam appears to be ready to set, take the pan off the heat and mix in the butter, to break up any foam that has appeared on the surface. If you prefer a smoother jam, you may like to use a masher to remove any large remaining pieces of fruit. The mixture can now be ladled into the jars (a clean dishwasher salt funnel will make this part much easier). If you feel that the mixture would benefit from further simmering, continue to simmer and test in this way, until the jam is ready to set and enjoy.

Apple and Mint Jam Recipe - More Jam Recipes.