How To Make Cherry and Apple Jam
Homemade Jam Recipes
Ingredients: Cherry and Apple Jam Recipe
4 lb / 1,800 grams of dark cherries
2 lb / 1,000 grams of sharp cooking apples
3 1/2 lb / 1,600 grams of white granulated sugar
24 fl oz / 700 ml of tap water
1 lemon
Method - What To Do
Wash all of the fruit and slice the apples, without coring or peeling them beforehand. Place these pieces of apple into a deep pan and pour on the water. Bring the pan to a strong simmer and leave for between 30 and 40 minutes, until the apples have turned into a pulp. This time can vary slightly, depending upon the variety of apple chosen.
Strain all of the pulped apple through a muslin bag (or similar draining device) to capture all of the pectin-laden juices. This straining process should take several hours. It is important not to squeeze the bag, so that only apple-flavoured juices collect with no actual pulp.
Pour the strained apple juice back into the saucepan and add the cherries (stoned in advance). Squeeze over the juice of one lemon and simmer for around 30 minutes, stirring a little during this time. By now, much of the moisture should have evaporated.
Take the saucepan off the heat and stir in the white sugar. Keep stirring until all of the sugar has completely dissolved and then place the cherry mix back onto the heat, allowing it to reach a rolling boil for around ten minutes. Test for jelling consistency by placing a small amount of the cherry and apple jam onto a plate (previously chilled). After a minute, this small portion of jam should be forming a skin and wrinkle when touched. A positive test such as this will show that the jam has finally reached its setting point and is ready to cool down. If it seems too runny, simmer some more and carry on testing in this way.
When the cherry and apple jam is ready to set in jars, take the pan off the heat and leave it to cool down for 15 minutes. This will allow the mixture to thicken up and means that the remaining cherry pieces will be less likely to float in the jars, being more evenly spread throughout the jam. Before bottling into sterile jars, skim off any foam. Be sure to add wax discs to the top of each jar when filled up (facing the wax side downwards) and screw the lids on tightly, straight away, to prevent any possible contamination.
Cherry and Apple Jam Recipe - More Jam Recipes.
