Cherry Almond Jam:
Cherry Prep
- 3 pounds cherries (to make 4 cups pulpy juice)
- 1/2 cup water
Wash, remove stems, pit and mash cherries. Bring cherries and water to a boil in a sauce pan then simmer covered on low for 10 minutes. Strain with a Foley mill.
Ingredients
- 4 cups pulpy juice
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons calcium water
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 teaspoons Pomona’s pectin powder
Cherry - Almond Jam Directions
1) Wash jars, lids, and bands. Place jars in canner, fill canner 2/3 full with water, bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover, and keep jars in hot canner water until ready to use. Place lids in water in a small sauce pan; cover and heat to a low boil. Turn off heat and keep lids in hot water until ready to use.
2) Measure fruit and spices into saucepan.
3) Add calcium water and lemon juice and mix well.
4) Measure sugar or room temperature honey into a bowl. Thoroughly mix pectin powder into sweetener. Set aside.
5) Bring fruit mixture to a full boil. Add pectin-sweetener mixture, stirring vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the pectin while the jam comes back up to a boil. Once the jam returns to a full boil, remove it from the heat.
6) Fill hot jars to ¼” of top. Wipe rims clean. Screw on 2-piece lids. Put filled jars in boiling water to cover. Boil 10 minutes (add 1 minute more for every 1,000 ft. above sea level). Remove from water. Let jars cool. Check seals; lids should be sucked down. Eat within 1 year. Lasts 3 weeks once opened.
Jam Spotlight: Kootenay Foods
Who’s Jamming?: West Kootenay Permaculture Co-op Association is!
Beginning in 2017, the West Kootenay Permaculture Co-op Association has operated their Mobile Kitchen Classroom in the West Kootenay region (BC, Canada) to bring food education and preservation to the residents of their region. Their aim is “to build a resilient and healthy community by making Good Food available to everyone, in ways that are accessible, affordable, delicious and educational.” Their pop-up classroom has commercial food preservation equipment for value-added processing of farm and garden excess, including jam making!
In their efforts to teach healthy food preservation skills, they exclusively use Pomona’s Universal Pectin. This year, we are happy to be supporting this non-profit by donating our pectin to their Mobile Kitchen Classroom. We wholeheartedly support their desire to bring food skills to their residents and we value their permaculture ethics: Care of earth, Care of People, Return of surplus.
If you find yourself in the West Kootenay region this Sunday (Sept 16), they are holding a free jam making event you can be a part of! Find them on Instagram for details: kootenayfood.
Jelled Milk Dessert
Yes, you read that correctly, we are talking about a CRAZY delicious, creamy, simple delicacy...and though it has an unappealing name...we urge you to not judge a recipe by it's title!
This recipe is simple and incredibly versatile. You can choose to use cow's milk, almond milk, coconut milk, full fat, non-fat, heavy cream, sweetened, unsweetened, CHOCOLATE MILK...the options are virtually endless!
Our family enjoys using almond or coconut milk (unsweetened) with a splash of vanilla extract, and then heaping on a dollop (or two!) of our favorite jam. It is just sweet enough to curb that sweet tooth, but not so sweet that you'll need to head to the dentist.
Yield: 2 cups
Jelled Milk Dessert Ingredients
- 2 cups flavored milk (any kind of milk can be used)
- 2 teaspoons Pomona’s Pectin powder
- 2 teaspoons calcium water (Only add the calcium water if you are using milk that does not contain calcium naturally or is not calcium fortified.)
Jelled Milk Dessert Directions
1. Put 2 cups of milk into sauce pan (Add 2 teaspoons calcium water, if needed, and stir well.). Heat milk to nearly boiling.
2. Put hot milk into cup for immersion blender, or in food processor, or in blender. Add pectin. It is very important to vent the lid (if there is one) to let steam out. Don’t use an enclosed blender that can’t be vented. Blend for 10 seconds, then stop and scrape down the sides so all pectin clumps are in or on the milk. Blend for a full minute until all powder is totally dissolved.
3. Pour hot milk into a serving bowl or individual dishes.
4. Let cool then refrigerate until firm.
To make calcium water: combine ½ teaspoon calcium powder (in the small packet in your box of Pomona’s pectin) with ½ cup water in a small, clear jar with a lid. Shake well. Extra calcium water should be stored in the refrigerator for future use.
Option: If you want to double the recipe, bring 4 cups of milk to nearly boiling. Turn off heat. Put 1 cup of the hot milk in a cup for immersion blender, or in food processor, or in blender. Add 4 teaspoons of Pomona’s Pectin and follow instructions above for dissolving the pectin in the milk. Return milk in pan to nearly boiling. Turn off heat, add pectinized milk, and stir well. Steps 3 and 4 remain the same.
Ideas for Jelled Milk Desserts:
- Pour into mason jars, dollop with jam and pack for a picnic
- Mix up your "mix-ins" add some granola to the top or mix in some mini chocolate chips.
- Blend in some peanut butter when the milk comes to a near boil.
- Add a side of your favorite cookies in a fancy dish for dinner parties.
- Make a "Unicorn Cup" , by adding colors to your milk, and layering them in clear glass jars (be sure to allow them to cool between each layer!).
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