Description
Peach preserves bring summer’s sweetness to your kitchen with minimal ingredients and simple steps. Homemade jam delivers rich flavors and memories you’ll savor with each delightful spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups (960 milliliters / 32 fl oz) peaches, fresh, peeled, pitted, and diced (about 6–8 medium peaches)
- 2 cups (400 grams / 14.11 oz) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams / 1.76 oz) sugar, additional
- 2 tbsps (30 milliliters / 1 fl oz) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ½ tsp (2.5 milliliters / 0.08 fl oz) vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 packet (1.75 oz / 49 grams) fruit pectin, powdered
Instructions
- Preparation: Cleanse peaches under cool running water, eliminating surface impurities and ensuring optimal fruit quality.
- Fruit Processing: Halve peaches using a sharp paring knife, delicately separating segments and extracting pits with precision, then dice into uniform cubes to guarantee consistent texture.
- Initial Mixture: Transfer diced peaches into a heavy-bottomed pot, capturing all released juices, and gently crush using a potato masher to create a slightly textured foundation.
- Flavor Enhancement: Incorporate sugar and lemon juice, stirring meticulously to distribute ingredients uniformly and develop complex flavor profiles.
- Cooking Process: Elevate mixture to medium-high heat, initiating a rolling boil, then reducing temperature to maintain a gentle simmer while continuously stirring to prevent scorching.
- Jam Development: Continue cooking until the mixture transforms into a luxurious, glossy consistency that elegantly coats a spoon, indicating perfect jam texture.
- Preservation: Remove from heat, allowing slight cooling before carefully transferring to sterilized glass containers, then permit complete cooling at ambient temperature prior to sealing and refrigeration.
Notes
- Choose Perfectly Ripe Peaches: Select peaches that are fragrant, slightly soft when gently pressed, and have vibrant color without bruises or green spots for the most flavorful jam.
- Prevent Burning: Stir constantly and use a heavy-bottomed pot to distribute heat evenly, preventing the jam from scorching and developing a bitter taste.
- Test Jam Consistency: Use the cold plate method by placing a small amount of jam on a chilled plate; if it wrinkles when pushed, it’s ready and will set properly after cooling.
- Preserve Safely: Sterilize glass jars thoroughly with boiling water to prevent bacterial growth and ensure the jam stays fresh for several weeks in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Breakfast, Desserts
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 124
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg