Damson Jam
50kcal
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh damsons
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter
Equipment
- large heavy-bottomed pot
- fine mesh sieve
- Candy thermometer
- ladle
Method
- Rinse 2 pounds of fresh damsons under cool water and remove any stems. Place the whole damsons in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven.
- Add 1/4 cup of water to the pot with the damsons. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes until the fruit is very soft and the skins have split.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully press the cooked fruit through a fine-mesh sieve or food mill set over a large bowl to remove the pits and skins, extracting as much pulp as possible. You should have about 4 cups of puree.
- Return the strained damson puree to the clean pot. Stir in 4 cups of granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice until the sugar begins to dissolve.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add 1/2 teaspoon of unsalted butter to help reduce foaming.
- Bring the jam to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until the jam reaches 220°F on a candy thermometer or passes the plate test (a spoonful placed on a chilled plate wrinkles when pushed).
- Remove the pot from the heat and skim off any foam from the surface with a spoon. Let the jam rest for 5 minutes to allow the fruit to distribute evenly.
- Ladle the hot jam into sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply lids and bands, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes if canning, or allow to cool completely before refrigerating.
Nutrition
Calories50kcalCarbohydrates13gPotassium15mgSugar12gVitamin A1IUVitamin C1mgCalcium1mgIron0.1mg