Serves 8
650 min
Plum-Strawberry Jam
Recipe GLPR3ea32988a74539
A vibrant, jewel-toned preserve combining sweet strawberries and tart purple plums. Fresh berries are macerated with sugar to draw out their juices, then combined with plums and cooked down into a glossy, thickened jam. Optional kirsch or fresh lemon juice adds a subtle depth. Perfect spread on toast, swirled into yogurt, or layered into pastries.
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Ingredients
1 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered or sliced
4¼ cups sugar, divided
2 pounds purple plums, pitted and cut into sixths
¾ teaspoon kirsch or lemon juice (optional)
Directions
Hull and quarter (or slice) the fresh strawberries. Place them in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the sugar and toss gently to coat. Allow the strawberries to macerate at room temperature for several hours, stirring occasionally, or cover and refrigerate overnight. The berries will release their juice and develop deeper flavor.
Pit the purple plums and cut each into six wedges. Add the plum pieces to the pot with the macerated strawberries. Cover the pot and place it over medium heat. Cook for 8–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the plums have completely softened and begun to break down. If you prefer a chunkier texture, use an immersion blender to partially puree the mixture, leaving visible fruit pieces. For a smoother jam, blend until nearly smooth.
Add the remaining sugar (4 cups) to the fruit mixture. Place a small plate in the freezer to use later for testing the jam's set. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir constantly with a silicone spatula or flat-bottomed wooden spoon, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot as you stir. Continue stirring until all the sugar dissolves completely, about 5–8 minutes. As the jam cooks and foam begins to rise to the surface, skim it away with a metal spoon. Maintain a steady boil and stir frequently to prevent sticking and burning on the bottom. The mixture will gradually thicken and darken to a rich, deep color.
After 45–60 minutes of cooking (depending on the fruit's water content and your stovetop), test the jam's readiness by removing the hot plate from the freezer. Turn off the heat, drop a teaspoon-sized amount of jam onto the chilled plate, and return it to the freezer for 3–4 minutes. Remove the plate and gently nudge the cooled jam with your finger. If the surface wrinkles and the jam holds together in a gel-like clump, it has reached the proper set. If it still seems too liquid, return the pot to the heat, continue cooking and stirring for another 5 minutes, and test again. Once the desired consistency is achieved, stir in the kirsch or lemon juice if using. Carefully ladle the hot jam into sterilized jars and seal according to standard canning procedures.
