Original Recipe:
I used cherries and I really liked this! It was sooo yummy. Little Y liked it too :)
The only thing is that I overcooked it a little too much, so it was very thick and a bit tough to spread. It didn't effect the taste at all though. Also, I added a tiny bit of water, because the cherries weren't super juicy. Other fruits like berries might not need the extra water, especially if they're from frozen.
Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from The Good Housekeeper)
1 pound BERRIES, CURRANTS, or CHERRIES
1/2 pound SUGAR
1. Wash and pit fruit, if needed. Mix sugar and fruit in a medium saucepan. Add a small amount of water if needed, but remember the fruit will emit some juices.
2. Boil fruit until it has reduced to 1/4 the original amount and is thick enough to spread on bread.
The original recipe says it keeps well but also calls it a preserve...do you think it would need water-bath canning for long-term storage? how long would it keep if simply refrigerated, I wonder?
ReplyDeleteWell I've had some in my fridge for maybe a month now, and although I haven't tasted it recently, it looks fine; no mold or anything. On the other hand, my father-in-law eats moldy jam ("Mold is healthy! It's the same as eating cheese!"), so in that case it lasts even longer!
DeleteI've never canned anything myself, but this is basically jam without added pectin, so I think it would be okay. It seems like cherries are fairly acidic on their own, but this might benefit from added acidity to prevent bacteria growth, but like I said, I'm no expert. If you try canning this, I recommend you follow the guidelines at the National Center for Home Food Preservation: http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/publications_usda.html.