Peach Jam Recipe

 If you are a peach jam lover and you like to eat it at breakfast and in some desserts here we present an easy and quick way to prepare it without any chemical additives and in the comfort of your home. This recipe is extremely simple, and if you have peaches at home you should only get down to work. It is one of the most classic on breakfast and snack tables, delicious only with bread or butter, even accompanying it with fresh and creamy cheeses is a delicacy. It is also used to fill cakes and cookies, glaze fruits in cakes and give shine to other desserts. And it can also be used in marinades and sauces for meats.

 Peach is a very low-calorie fruit with a pleasant smell and taste. Its high content of beta-carotene (provitamin A) and vitamins B, C, and E make this fruit even more precious for consumption. It also provides minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. The vast majority of its fiber is soluble and helps keep cholesterol levels low.

Peach Jam Recipe

Ingredients :

• 1 ½ Kg. Peaches (after peeling and chopping).
• 500 g. Cane Sugar.
• 1 Lemon (Juice and peels).

Optional :

• 1 Geranium/Citronella leaf.

 This recipe gives for 4 – 6 containers (depending on their size. We must know that sugar not only acts as a sweetener but also fulfills the function of a preservative and thickener. If we reduce the amount of sugar the shelf life of our jam will not be very long and we should consume it immediately or be more careful when sterilizing the glass containers.

Sterilization of Containers

 It is important and convenient to respect everything related to sterilization to ensure that its subsequent consumption is safe. The sterilization of the jars is used in those foods that have a duration of several months and that we often prepare large quantities for storage. This is done with the aim of killing microorganisms that adhere to the walls of the containers.

 Start by washing our glass containers well and then sterilizing them. First, we must arrange the glass containers in a pot and fill them with water until they cover them (also introduce the lids). Once the water starts to boil leave it for 20 min. Take them out and place them on the oven rack (preheated to 100º C) upside down until they are completely dry. It is advisable that the containers are still hot at the time of packaging to avoid thermal shock when in contact with the jam that must be freshly prepared.

Peeling Peaches

The peaches should be at their point of ripeness, undamaged, juicy, and sweet.

 The first thing we must do is peel the peaches. First, make a cross at the base of every peach with the help of a knife. Then immerse them in hot water for 1 or 2 minutes. After this time, place them immediately in water with ice until they cool down a little and can be handled. The skin of peaches should be gently peeled off with your hands, or use a knife to help lift the skin more easily. Once the peaches are peeled, they are ready to be cut into small pieces.

Preparation of Peach Jam

 Place the peaches in a large pot, preferably with a thick bottom, add the sugar and stir well. Let stand for 10 – 15 minutes so that the sugar dissolves with the fruit juices. Add the lemon juice, stir and put on the fire. A little trick to know when our jam is ready is to place a small plate in the freezer to check the desired thickness point at the end of the preparation.

At this point is where you should add the lemon peels and choose to add the geranium leaf to it.

 The lemon peel will provide the necessary pectin that acts as a natural thickener since the peaches themselves do not contain much to completely thicken our jam. You can do without the use of lemon peel if you prefer, but the jam would be more liquid.

Remember that sugar also acts as a thickener.

 On the other hand, geranium will give a slight flavor that you will love in this recipe. The flavor that geranium provides in this type of jam is different from that of cinnamon or cloves, which many tend to add as well. Geranium leaves are also added to apple, quince, pear, and apricot jams, among others.

 Place the pot over high heat until it boils. Then lower the heat to a minimum and keep the cooking smooth. Do not forget to stir constantly and remove the foam that may come out. Continue cooking for about 30-45 minutes or until you reach the desired color and consistency.

 When they are very tender and undone, crush them with a hand mixer (or potato masher). If you like you can leave some pieces of whole fruits to taste. This is where we will test the perfect point by placing a small amount on the frozen plate; after a few seconds, it should be thick. Return to the heat if necessary to cook and reduce a few more minutes.

 Remove the containers from the oven with care not to burn or touch the inner walls of them. Fill the containers with the peach jam leaving approximately 2 cm before reaching the top of the container. Lid the containers.

Sterilization of Full Jars

 Finally, we must sterilize the full and closed jars so that the food is not altered by microorganisms. Place them in a conventional pot by placing a kitchen towel on the bottom to insulate the jars and pot. Cover water to the edge of the containers, but without reaching the lids.

 Once the boil breaks we leave it for 20 to 30 minutes depending on the size of the jars (the larger the longer), in this case, it would be for 360 cc jars.

 Once the sterilization time has elapsed, place a kitchen cloth on a table, take out the jars and place them upside down. Let them cool to room temperature. Once completely cold you can store them wherever you want, if you are going to consume them directly it is preferable to keep them in the fridge after opening.