Home Recipes Nectarine Apricot Ginger Jam: Spicing Things Up!

Nectarine Apricot Ginger Jam: Spicing Things Up!

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Nectarine Apricot Ginger Jam: Spicing Things Up!
nectarine ginger jam jars
This recipe yields about seven half pints of gloriously good fruity goo!

Tommy’s jam kitchen is a jammin’ this summer, and with a fresh box of Washington State stone fruit beaming before me (courtesy of my friends at Sweet Preservation), the time is nigh to come up with something a little different for my pantry shelf and unrepentant sweet tooth. My canning codex of choice is Mes Confitures: The Jams and Jellies of Christine Ferber—287 pages of delectable, seasonal preserve recipes. Ms. Ferber’s recipes are simple and well-suited to my methods of making jam, which favors overnight maceration, while excluding commercial pectin as a thickener.

nectarine ginger jam mix
The fruit and sugar macerate overnight to firm the fruit and draw out the juices.

As I’ve mentioned in past posts, I’m not against using commercial pectin, I just find I get really mixed results. Sometimes the jam resembles fruit leather, or a jar-sized jello shot, or a fruity chew for Buddy. I’m just not a fan of commercial pectin consistency when I’m behind the jam pan.

nectarine jam simmering

I found my timely recipe for nectarine apricot ginger jam on page 58, where the key ingredients all just happened to be within arm’s reach: apricots, nectarines and candied ginger. It also called for fresh ginger, which I did not have, so I left it out of the recipe this time. If you’d like a little more punch and heat, add the fresh ginger.

nectarine apricot ginger jam
Nice combo that brings the heat of summer to my biscuit no matter what the season.

How to Make Nectarine Apricot Ginger Jam

Nectarine Apricot Ginger Jam

Ingredients

  • 1.5lb Nectarines
  • 1.5lb Apricots
  • 1/2 cup Candied Ginger (finely chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh Ginger (grated (and optional to add heat))
  • 5 Whole Cloves
  • 4 cups Sugar
  • 1 lemon (juice from one lemon)

Note

Adapted from Christine Ferber's Mes Confitures

Directions

Step 1
Rinse fruit, remove pits, cut into bite-size chunks
Step 2
Add all ingredients to stainless or ceramic bowl, stir gently to combine. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap and leave to macerate overnight.
Step 3
Next day, add fruit mixture to nonreactive pan. I like large open stainless saute pans or low stock pots for better evaporation.
Step 4
Bring mixture to a simmer and stir, and continue stirring until things start to thicken up usually about 20 minutes. Low heat is best so as not to scorch the sugars in the mix. Shut off heat and stir a little longer to cool down. Evaporation will create a thicker jam.
Step 5
Wait a good 6-8 hours, remove whole cloves, and reheat the mixture up slowly until it simmers for 5-10 minutes and then add to sterilized jars and process in a water bath for ten minutes.

Now, onto my box of peaches!

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9 COMMENTS

  1. YUM! I bet that’s fantastic. When I lived on Kauai I had such an abundance of amazing fruits to indulge in, but soon realized there is nothing quite like an apricot.

    Nice to see another post from you, as well. I’m sure your other readers will agree that there is something so comforting about your blog, for at least a few moments as we slip into a tale of Vashon living all is right in the world 😊

    • Thanks Forrest, such nice words to read on this sunny August eve. I’ve been away from the blog a lot this summer. Not sure what that’s about, but the weather will close in soon enough and writing will come easier when gardens and orchards are put to bed. Well wishes, Tom

  2. Sounds and looks delicious! I’ve bought a few of Christine Ferber’s jams and they’re incredible, so I’m looking forward to making this! Thanks!

  3. Hi Tom,
    At the risk of sounding like a stickler, what should I do with the lemon?

    I checked the original recipe in my copy of Mes Confitures, and she doesn’t mention a lemon in her recipe, but then tells the reader to add “the lemon juice” in one of the steps.

    I believe there’s a certain alchemy involved in making memorable jam, so I’m trying not to wing it too much.

    Thanks,

    Jan

  4. Hi! I have very randomly come across your page (google searching pumpkin recipes, haha) but it’s awesome and this jelly sounds delish! And no pectin? That makes it easier! Once fresh fruit season comes back round I’ll have to try something like this. Thanks Tom, have a great day! 🙂

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