Mulberry Madness
It’s the season for mulberries here on the little farm. It feels like we have no less than 1000 mulberry trees, when in fact, we have around twenty or so. The sheep absolutely love their leaves and the chickens love the berries. I like to make a naturally sweetened jam to enjoy all thru the winter. Opening a jar of jam on a cold winter day has a way of transporting me to these lovely, warm June days that seem endless in the very best way. My future self will thank me, I keep reminding myself as I look at my stained-purple fingers. This jam recipe can be adapted to accommodate all sorts of delicious fruit.
Lavender-Infused Honey Sweetened Mulberry Jam
Ingredients:
4 cups Mulberries, or fruit of choice.
1 cup honey.
2 T fresh Lavender flowers
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 T Low-sugar pectin.
Yield: 4 half-pint jars.
Bring ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Use and immersion blender to puree the mixture. The mulberries can also be left whole if a chunkier jam is preferred. Simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare lids and jars in a water-bath canner (or a large pot). Fill jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace, and load into the canner. The water should cover the tops of the jars by at least an inch. Process 10 minutes.
A note on Pectin
Do I need pectin?
That depends on your personal preference. Without pectin, this jam will be thinner, perfect for pouring over ice cream!
Can I use regular pectin?
No. This recipe requires a low-sugar pectin (linked below.) Regular pectin needs white sugar to work. This jam is naturally sweetened with honey and using a pectin designed to work with honey will yield the best results.
The finished product.
I adore this jam. The slight hint of lavender adds a surprising note. The beautiful honey works so well with the mulberries. I love to can this jam in Weck jars. A jar of this jam makes a perfect gift. I hope you give this recipe a try!
