Grab your coffee or tea and get comfortable. This is a wordy one… Last month sometime, a lovely lady discovered my strawberry thyme jam recipe and whipped up the recipe using honey instead of sugar. I’d never even considered using honey in jam, so my interests were immediately peaked when I read her comment. I asked her a few questions and decided that honey-sweetened jam was something I wanted to try. When we went on the Fresno Fruit Trail (the second time – in July), the plums were big and beautiful. As I started picking out plums to take home, I started dreaming of a honey plum jam. It just sounded so good. I waited a few weeks for the plums to ripen and for me to get my act together to make jam (it’s still daunting to me even though it always ends up being fairly easy)…
I went to my local market to buy pectin. All they had was Pomona’s Universal Pectin, which at the time meant really nothing to me. So, I threw it in the cart and came home to do some recipe research. The first google result for plum jam is this recipe from Serious Eats. I was surprised when it call specifically for the pectin brand I’d picked up. It was pure happenstance on my part, but as it turned out, it was a fortunate thing. Pomona’s pectin is designed for low sugar jams, jellies, and chutneys. So, it’s ideal for honey-sweetened jams! Other pectins are activated by the sugar in the recipe. This pectin is activated by calcium water (the calcium is included in the package and you just mix it with water). Perfect right?
This honey plum jam recipe makes a very small batch, which is perfect for my little family of 2. Really, it’s a good size for a family of 4 even. Unlike batches that make 6 pints of jam that I’m used to at home, this one is just right and manageable even in my small kitchen! The flavor is also everything delectably summer. You know the debate between topping a biscuit with honey or jam? No need to have that debate anymore. This jam gives you everything you want. And while it’s delicious the standard way, slathered on top of brie cheese, it’s fairly life-changing!
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HONEY PLUM JAM
When ripe, plums are the most delicious fruit, but having that patients can be hard. This jam recipe capitalizes on their fresh summer flavor, but you don't have to wait until their perfectly ripe. Sweetened with honey in place of sugar, this will be your new favorite summer jam!
Ingredients
- 2- 2 1/2 cups mashed plums* approximately 4 medium plums
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Pomona's Universal Pectin
- 2 teaspoons calcium water
Instructions
- Combine mashed plums and pectin. Add honey and mix completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight - at least 8 hours (but no more than 24 hours).
- In a wide pan, mix fruit and calcium water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Continue to cook until mixture starts to foam (20-30 minutes). Using a metal spoon, gently scoop the foam off of the jam. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until no amount of stirring can slow boiling. Boil mixture for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Carefully scoop into cleaned jars. Let cool. Refrigerate.
Recipe Notes
*To mash plums, cut into small pieces. Use potato masher (or pulse in food processor) to release juices and mash fruit.
Recipe adapted from Serious Eats
Make this recipe? I'd love to see how it turned out. Tag me @LMinthekitchen on Instagram and use #LMrecipes, so I can see your creation! xo
