Breeders today have already developed varieties of peaches that can be grown in cooler climates than before. Therefore, people have additional opportunities to enjoy these wonderful fruits, as well as make aromatic jam from peaches. Below we will consider the most popular recipes for preparing this sweet.
Features of making peach jam
For delicious jam, choose high-quality fruits.They can be prepared from whole fruits, their parts or ground pulp. If the fruits are tender and juicy, then it is preferable to make jam from them from a homogeneous mass, while hard varieties make excellent jam with peach pieces.
These fruits themselves contain large amounts of sugar. Because of this, you must take this into account so that the jam does not become cloying.
Selection and preparation of fruits
The first step in preparing peaches is washing them. To do this, fill them with warm water, leave for 10 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly.
When processing some green peaches, you need to blanch them. Before the procedure, holes are made using a fork to protect the fruit from cracking. Then the fruits are dipped in heated water and kept there for 5 minutes. After this time, they are removed and cooled under the tap.
Moderately ripe specimens are peeled raw, and to prevent the flesh from darkening, they are soaked in diluted citric acid. The pit, if it is difficult to remove, is removed with a spoon, and if it comes off easily, the peaches are cut on one side, moved with two rugs and removed.
How to cook peach confiture at home?
Confiture is a jam in the form of jelly, in the thickness of which there are particles of fruit. You can cook it in 2 stages. The first involves boiling the syrup, the second - the fruits along with it.
The syrup is prepared from:
- 200 ml water;
- 1 kg sugar.
Procedure:
- The liquid is gradually heated and the sweet product is slowly poured into it and dissolves there.
- Then the syrup is boiled to such a consistency that at the tip of a spoon the remaining part of it forms a thin stream with the main mass.
- When the base of the confiture is ready, the peaches are added to it in batches while heating slowly.
- Stir the sweetness in a circular motion, removing from the heat.
Small fruits are cooked in one stage, and for medium and large fruits, cooking takes place in several stages. When cooking is repeated, it alternates with cooling, and the finished confiture will better retain its consistency. If you cook large fruits over high heat, they may shrink. After the particles “float” evenly in the syrup, the confiture is completely ready. The sweetness is poured into glass jars and sealed with lids.
A simple recipe for the winter
Jam can be prepared in a fairly simple way:
- To do this, the fruits are cut into pieces and sprinkled with half the norm of granulated sugar.
- After the juice appears, put the pan on the fire and cook until the parts of the peaches are soft.
- Then the liquid component of the jam is filtered through a sieve, and the pulp is wiped. Only the skin remains on it, which is thrown away. Add the rest of the sugar to the resulting mass, bring to a boil and leave for up to 20 minutes.
- Place into jars and cover with lids.
In a slow cooker
Peach jam prepared in a slow cooker is similar in taste and consistency to the traditional delicacy. The only difference is the presence of a non-stick container and a constant heat mode. So it cooks much faster and without the risk of burning, only the instructions must be followed.
Additional ingredients included in the treat may be: vanilla sugar, ground cloves, and chopped ginger.
With pectin
Peach jam is often prepared with pectin - this is a powder that is a soluble dietary fiber. It acts as a thickener, so cooking time is greatly reduced.You can also add a minimal amount of sugar to the jam, and if there is pectin, it will still be tasty.
Washed peaches are freed from drupes and crushed with skins. Pectin is poured into the jam at the stage of cooking when the fruit has not yet become soft. This sweetness is prepared for 5–15 minutes and sealed while hot. After 2 days, the product will finish gelling and it will be moderately thick.
With gelatin
You can also get thick jam using gelatin. The leaf product is better than the instant product, but you can also use it:
- Peaches are peeled and a homogeneous mass is made using a meat grinder.
- Then sprinkle with sugar and let it brew for several hours.
- At the same time, soak the gelatin product in warm water.
- After the sugar has melted, boil the peaches for 10 minutes, then cool slightly and pour in the swollen thickener and stir.
- At the end, the jam is heated, but not brought to a boil.
- Pour into jars and seal.
With yellowfix
You can make delicious peach jam with the addition of jellyfix. This substance is also classified as a thickener. It is obtained from plant materials, so it is used by vegetarians.
Zhelfix also contains sorbic acid - an excellent preservative.
Prepare the peaches and grind them until smooth. In addition, zhelfix is combined with a portion of sugar and poured into peach puree and mixed. Then put it on the fire and add the rest of the granulated sugar. Cook the jam for 5 minutes. Place cinnamon and 2 cloves in a sterilized container and pour in hot jam. The sweets are hermetically sealed with lids.
Sugarless
Since peaches are an unusually sweet fruit, jam can be made from them without adding sugar. To do this, it is advisable to take overripe fruits, and to prevent them from acquiring a dark color during the cooking process, pour in a little lemon juice. To obtain a thicker consistency, add pectin or zhelfix.
With oranges
Lovers of citrus flavor can make peach jam with oranges. If, in addition to their pulp, you also add zest, the aroma will be more pronounced, but with a possible bitter aftertaste.
To make peach jam, both types of fruit are prepared. They are washed, the drupes are removed from the peaches and pureed using a meat grinder or blender. Mix and add sugar and, if desired, a thickener. Heat the mass to a boil and cook for 30 minutes (if pectin or gelatin is present - 15 minutes). Pour into prepared jars and seal tightly with lids.
In the bread machine
It's easy and simple to prepare a delicacy from peaches in a bread maker. If this household appliance has a “Jam” function, then all the work will be done automatically, and the user will only need to load the prepared ingredients into the container. After cooking, it is poured into sterile jars and sealed.
With nectarines
Peaches and nectarines are prepared for cooking jam. Then syrup is prepared for confiture, and the fruit is cut into slices. They are placed in a sweet base and kept for 24 hours. Then they boil again and leave for another day. After this, boil for 8 minutes and package in sterile containers. Sealed.
With plums
The prepared fruits are pureed and sugar is added. Cook after the start of boiling for 15 minutes. At the end of the cooking process, add lemon juice and remove from heat.Pour into sterile jars and seal.
How to store jam in jars
Ready-made sweets are stored in a refrigerator or cellar. The jam can be used for 1 year. In order for storage to be reliable, sterility during the preparation process and the sealing of the cans must be maintained.
