Apricots, Figs, Strawberries . . . JAM!

I was able to find figs and apricots in large quantities and my sister had a major stockpile of strawberries in the house so I thought I'd do a summer thing and make Jam. Let's start with strawberries. All of the recipes for jam should employ a candy thermometer.

Strawberry Jam

2-3 pints of fresh strawberries hulled

3 cups vanilla sugar

Chopped rind of 1/2 orange

Chopped rind of 1/2 lemon

Juice from 1 lemon

Combine 1/3 of the strawberries with 1/2 cup of the sugar and pulp the mixture with a potato masher. Warm the strawberries gently to soften a bit. Add the rest of the sugar with the orange and lemon rind in a saucepan large enough to hold contents. Stir gently and shake the bottom of the pan periodically to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.  Once all the sugar has dissolved, add lemon juice and turn the heat up. Once the strawberries reach a full rolling boil, continue to boil rapidly for about 10 minutes.  Check for doneness by either using a candy thermometer and inserting it into pan once the strawberries begin to boil and reach 220º F. Or, take a very cold plate (I put one in the freezer when I start making the jam) and put a drop of jam on the plate and let it cool. Press you finger gently into the jam. If it wrinkles, it's done.

Strawberries

Fig Jam

1-2 dozen figs.

2 cups vanilla sugar

Chopped rind of 1/2 orange

Chopped rind of 1/2 lemon

Juice from 1 orange

Cut of stems and  quarter the figs. Place figs in a saucepan and cover with the sugar, the rinds and the orange juice. Bring to a rolling boil, then lower heat to a simmer and insert candy thermometer in exactly the same fashion as the strawberry jam.  Fig jam becomes very dense very quickly so always remain close to the stove to monitor its progress. Stir often. You'll know it's done when it is very sticky. I add 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 tsp. almond extract, and 1/8 tsp. orange extract at the end. I also take an immersion blender and blend the jam into a dense purée. As always, test with candy thermometer at 220º F. Or the cold plate method.

Apricot Jam

12-18 Apricots (halved and pitted)

2 cups vanilla sugar

Chopped rind of 1/2 orange

Chopped rind of 1/2 lemon

Juice from 1 lemon

I have found that macerating the apricots are okay if you want to keep the syrup for another use - and there are many - but for jam or preserves, you really don't need it unless you want to make apricot butter, or in my case, if I'm making a Clafoutis or a pastry with flavored apricots, which, now that it's summer, will be often. If you do want apricot syrup*, though, you should drain the apricots, reserve the syrup and start again with the fruit and more sugar. So, that said, place all ingredients in a stainless steel saucepan and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat to moderate and simmer at a rolling boil until the temp reads 220º on a candy thermometer. Apricot jam should retain an apricot "color." . Take off the heat and stir. If the apricots are bobbing around the pan, the sugar is heavier than the fruit and must be cooked for another 2-5 minutes. Here is where the cold plate method mentioned above is so useful. If it runs, it's not done. If it wrinkles with a press of the finger, voila!

All of these jams should be jarred in canning jars; fancy jam jars can be used as well, but they should all be sterilized in boiling water before use. Always pour the jam in the jars while still hot but you should let stand for about 10 minutes or so to cool slightly before filling.

If you want to keep these jams for months you must immerse the jars in boiling water to create the vacuum, you must also make sure that there are no air bubbles in the jam before you close the jars. Always leave at least 1/4 inch of room between the top of the ingredients and the jar cover. After boiling in water, let the jars cool in the water and remove. Store in a cool dry place until use. Once opened, they must be refrigerated. If you don't intend to store the jam for a long period of time, it is recommended that you allow it to come to room temperature and store in the refrigerator.

* There are myriad manners of using apricot syrup. You can spice them with cinnamon or even do something savory with rosemary or mint; I'm sure half, if not most, of the mixologists the world over have thought up concoctions using this very thing. It's certainly better than the canned stuff no matter what flavor it is.