Photo by Sami Aksu from Pexels
This recipe is good for using ripe peaches. You can decide how much sugar you want to use. For me, I don’t use a lot of sugar. I use just enough to make sure it is a jam consistency and I feel like the peaches should speak for themselves. Peaches are naturally sweet enough. I also like to add different spices to enhance the peachy flavor. You can add a little, more, or none at all. The flavors of the jam are between you and the jam.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 pounds peaches ( 1 pound of peaches = 3-4 medium peaches), peeled, pitted, and sliced into chuncks
- 2-2 1/2 cups pure cane sugar
- 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
Spices
- cloves
- cinnamon
- ginger
- nutmeg
Start slow and taste. A good baseline is 1/4 tsp for any of them and add by 1/4 until you reach the taste you want.
Instructions
Add peaches and lemon juice into a medium to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium to high heat. Using a spatula or potato masher, crush the peaches to the desired consistency. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula to avoid the peaches burning.
After you have crushed the peaches, reduce heat to medium and add your sugar. I use cane sugar because I think it tastes better, and the consistency is better. But you can use white sugar. White sugar will make the jam sweeter faster. To start with, I would recommend using half of the measurement of the cane sugar. Add more or less if desired. Then, bring your peaches back to a boil, stirring frequently.
Continue to stir and make sure the peaches are boiling until it has reduced and has reached the desired consistency and has reached the temperature of 220 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer. The process will take about 15-25 minutes. Once the jam has reached 220 degrees, it should stick to your spoon. Make sure it reaches about 220. If not, when it cools, the consistency will be like syrup instead of jam.
Now, this is where you add your spices. Once you have added your spices and mixed the jam, you will set it aside to cool for about 5 minutes. After it has cooled down some, add it to a clean jar and store it in the fridge.
The jam will last you a good 3-4 months. Make sure to check it before using it. It will also make a good addition to other recipes. For example, I love using the jam as a base for peach ice cream or ice cream topping.
Share and comments are appreciated.