Nectarine, which appeared as a result of natural crossing, although it belongs to a subspecies of peach, differs from its closest relative in having denser flesh and the absence of hairs on the skin. Smooth and tender fruits are rich in sugar, vitamins, and antioxidants. Even when used to make jam for the winter from nectarine, a simple recipe results in a delicacy that has an amazing aroma and thick consistency. Dessert is used to stuff pancakes, stuff pies, and frost cakes.
Features of making nectarine jam
You can cook confiture from exotic fruits using the classical method. After removing the seeds, the fruit is chopped into pieces and covered with sugar. When the nectarines release their juice, put the mixture on the stove and cook the jam, stirring constantly with a spoon or spatula, otherwise the mixture will stick to the bottom of the bowl or pan.
With the advent of modern home appliances, the process of harvesting fruits has become somewhat easier. Nectarines are simply cut and placed in a multicooker bowl covered with a layer of non-stick material. When choosing the simmering mode, the boiling mass does not flow out of the pan, does not overheat, and does not stick to the walls and bottom of the multicooker bowl.
Selection and preparation of fruits
Jam is made from ripe and soft nectarines; when sorting, unripe and rotten fruits are removed, and the selected fruits are washed under running water.
To remove the seeds, nectarines are halved or crushed into slices.
To make jam, the smooth skin is not trimmed. If the fruits are hard due to the fact that they have not had time to fully ripen, they are thrown into boiling water and then into cool water, and the skin easily comes off.
Nectarines go well with tangerines and apples, combined with lemons; coffee gives the dessert a spicy aroma.
How to properly prepare the container?
Jam, like preserves, is transferred into small glass jars. Containers without chips or cracks are thoroughly washed with water, soda, mustard and dried. To disinfect from fungi and bacteria, the containers are sterilized by choosing one of the following methods:
- in a kettle over steam;
- in the microwave;
- in the oven;
- in a slow cooker.
Boil jars with a volume of 0.5 liters for 5 minutes, 1 liter for 10 minutes. Fill the disinfected containers with hot fruit mass.
Cooking methods
Some women, in the old-fashioned way, cook jams from berries and fruits for filling pancakes and baking in a bowl on the stove, as their mothers and grandmothers did, others prefer to use modern household appliances.
A simple recipe for the winter
To make nectarine jam using traditional technology without additives, take a kilogram of sugar, which is used as a preservative, and the same amount of fruit:
- The fruits are crushed into pieces about 20 mm in size.
- Nectarines are transferred to a saucepan, sugar is poured on top.
- When juice appears in the container, move it to the stove and turn on the heat.
- After boiling, cook, stirring occasionally, until droplets of jam begin to thicken on the saucer.
The hot workpiece is poured into sterile containers and hermetically sealed. The cooled jars are placed in the pantry or refrigerator.
Multicooker option
Women who don't have the patience to stand over the stove stirring a boiling mass replace the metal pan with a multicooker. Sugar and nectarines are taken in equal proportions.
To make the aroma of the jam brighter, add a packet of vanillin.
The fruits are crushed into pieces and placed in a non-stick bowl. To release the liquid faster, the fruit is covered with sugar and left for a couple of hours. The resulting juice is diluted with vanillin and mixed with nectarines. Select the stewing mode in the device, cook the fruit mass by removing the lid of the bowl. After the sound signal, the boiling jam is sent into sterile jars. If liquid begins to seep out, roll up the container with a new, disinfected lid.
A fragrant and tasty assortment is obtained by using different fruits. To prepare it you need:
- a kilogram of nectarines and pears;
- 900 g tangerines or oranges;
- 2 lemons;
- sugar 1.5 kg.
Citrus fruits are peeled. Peel the pears, beat with a blender into a puree, into which nectarines, cut into pieces, and orange cubes are placed.
The container with the mass is placed on a gas stove, the fruit is combined with 3 cups of sugar. Peel the lemon, squeeze out the juice, and grate the zest.
Pour 200 ml of water into a small bowl, put it on the fire, after boiling, pour in sugar, boil the syrup along with the juice and zest for 5 or 6 minutes, mix with the fruit mass, and cook the jam for an hour.
How to properly store nectarine confiture
Sterile jars filled with a hot delicacy of exotic fruits are turned over to check the tightness, and then taken to the cellar or basement. In a cool room, fruit jam or confiture does not spoil and retains its aroma and taste for at least 2 years.
