Faith B. Lasher’s article “The Delightful Elderberry” in MOTHER EARTH NEWS contained an editorial appeal for advice on
making honey jam and honey jelly. Accordingly, I’m passing on some
of the California Honey Advisory Board’s recipes for
sugarless fruit confections.
A hint from CHAB: If you prepare jams and jellies with
natural sweetening, you should remember that the moisture
content of honey varies according to location. In
California, for example, sweets made with honey from the
northern part of the state will be softer than the same
products made with the output of bees kept farther south.
I hope these recipes will be of value to readers who love
sweets but want to avoid refined sugar. Enjoy!
Pear and Cherry Conserve
2 1/2 to 3 pounds fully ripened Bartlett pears
6 lemon slices
3 Tbs. seedless golden raisins
1/4 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
1/3 cup maraschino cherry juice
4 cups mild-flavored honey
1 bottle liquid pectin
Peel, core, and coarsely chop the pears. (There should be 5
cups.) Cut the lemon slices into eighths. In a
6 to 8 quart saucepan, mix together all the ingredients
except the pectin. Bring them to a full rolling boil,
stirring constantly, and boil them hard for 5 minutes.
(Give the mixture an occasional turn with a spoon to
prevent scorching.) Remove the pan from the heat and at
once blend in the liquid pectin. Skim off the foam with a
metal spoon, and continue to stir and skim for 5 minutes to
prevent the fruit from floating. Ladle the conserve into
hot sterilized jars and seal the containers. This recipe
makes about seven half-pint glasses.
Honey Pineapple Jam
2 1/2 cups (1-pound 4 1/2-ounce can) crushed
pineapple
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
3 1/4 cups mild-flavored honey
1/2 bottle liquid pectin
In a 6 to 8 quart saucepan mix the crushed pineapple and
lemon juice. Add the honey and blend the ingredients well.
Then place the pan over high heat and at once stir in the
liquid pectin. Stir the mixture constantly while you bring
it to a full rolling boil and boil hard for one minute.
Take the jam from the stove and remove the foam with a
metal spoon. Alternately skim and stir the hot confection
for 5 minutes to cool it slightly and distribute the fruit
throughout. Ladle the product into hot sterilized
jars–about six of the 8 ounce size–and seal
them.
Strawberry Jam
4 1/2 cups prepared fruit (about 2 quarts ripe
strawberries)
1 box (1 3/4 ounces) powdered pectin
7 cups mild-flavored honey
Completely crush the fully ripened strawberries, one layer
at a time, and measure 4 1/2 cups of the prepared fruit
into a 6 to 8 quart saucepan. Add the powdered pectin
and blend it in well. Place the pan over high heat, bring
the contents to a full rolling boil and at once mix in the
honey. Continue to boil the jam for 2 minutes, while you
stir it constantly. Then remove the pan from the fire and
follow the same skimming and cooling procedure as for Honey
Pineapple jam. Pour the result into hot sterilized jars,
seal them, and let them stand at room temperature until the
spread is set (up to 24 hours).
Yield: about eleven 8 ounce glasses.
Spicy Port Wine Jelly
2 cups port wine
3 cups mild-flavored honey
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/2 bottle liquid pectin
In a 6 to 8 quart saucepan combine the port wine, honey,
cinnamon and cloves. Stir these ingredients and bring them
to a full rolling boil. Add the liquid pectin, again bring
the mixture to a boil and cook it at that temperature for 2
minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat
and skim its contents with a metal spoon. Pour the jelly
into hot sterilized jars, seal them and let them stand at
room temperature until the jelly has set (up to 24 hours).
This recipe makes about eight 6 ounce glasses.
Honey Grape Jelly
1 package (1 3/4 ounces) powdered pectin
2 1/2 cups grape juice
3 3/4 cups mild-flavored honey
Mix the pectin and grape juice in a 6 to 8 quart
saucepan and cook and blend them over high heat until
bubbles form all around the edge of the liquid. Slowly add
the honey, stirring constantly, and continue to stir and
cook the mixture until the entire surface is bubbling
(don’t let it boil). Remove the jelly from the stove and
alternately stir and skim off the foam. Pour the confection
into hot sterilized glasses, seal them, and leave them
undisturbed until the fluid has cooled and set … about 24
hours. The approximate yield is eight 6 ounce jars.
Ripe Peach Jam
3 pounds fully ripened peaches
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
7 1/2 cups mild-flavored honey
1 bottle liquid pectin
Wash, peel and pit the peaches and chop or coarsely grind
them into the lemon juice. Measure the prepared fruit,
packing it down in the cup … there should be 4 cups.
Mix the peaches and honey in a 6 to 8 quart saucepan,
bring them to a full rolling boil, and boil them hard for
one minute … keep stirring. Immediately add the liquid
pectin and repeat the boiling process for another minute.
Then remove the mixture from the heat and stir and skim it
as for Honey Pineapple jam. Ladle the mixture into hot
sterilized jars–about eleven of the 8 ounce
size–and seal the containers.
