Apparently Christmas jam is a thing. As a chef and a food blogger, I had no clue. This is a fine example of the food world today, chances are, the idea (recipe) is out there long before you came up with the recipe, the only hope is you make it better. Jam is something I love and have blogged about before. My recipes for strawberry-orange, blackberry, apricot and fig spread have all been very popular. Not, surprising really, most people are jam fans. But note, all of my recipes are quick jams (or spreads). The reason being, there are some things in the cooking world even I don’t do, that’s canning. I have a board on Pinterest that’s devoted to canning recipes and tips, but canning is (blame my impatience) not my thing.
So this lovely Christmas jam is another quick jam I am in love with and it’s perfect for Christmas morning. This jam is a combination of apples, strawberries and cranberries creating a lovely well-balanced sweet-tart jam flavor. More of a winter jam (hence the name) that goes perfectly on top of buttermilk waffles, on hearty, rich multigrain bread or swirled into a bowl of overnight oats for a quick breakfast. So canning aside, if you love jam, give this Christmas quick jam a shot and check breakfast off that long to-do list on the big day.
Christmas Jam
Ingredients
- 2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into small dice
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 cups whole frozen cranberries
- 1 cup strawberries, trimmed and quartered
Directions
- Step 1 In a medium stockpot add the diced apples, sugar, cloves, cinnamon stick and orange juice and place over medium-high heat. Cook until the apples are slightly soft.
- Step 2 Add the cranberries and strawberries sand reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes, until the cranberries are beginning to break apart and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Step 3 Once the mixture is cool enough to handle, transfer to the bowl of a kitchen mixer, such as a Cusinart fitted with a blade attachment. Puree until well blended but slightly chunky.
- Step 4 Transfer the jam to a jam jar or another type of glass container and refrigerate until use. Jam will keep for up to 2 weeks.
