Peach Freezer Jam

From EatingWell: July/August 2008 — Subscribe Now!

This fruit spread-style peach jam can be made with no sugar at all, but we use 1 cup sugar for just a touch of sweetness (up to 3 cups sugar can be used for a sweeter jam). If you want to use glass canning jars, be sure to choose wide-mouth dual-purpose jars made for freezing and canning. These jars have been tempered to withstand temperature extremes.

Six 8-ounce jars

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 day

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

2 pounds ripe peaches, pitted and quartered (5-6 peaches)
1 3/4 cups unsweetened white grape or apple juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1.75-ounce package “no sugar needed” fruit pectin, (see Tip)
1-3 cups sugar

Preparation

Coarsely chop peaches in a food processor. Measure out 3 cups. (Reserve the rest for another use, such as a smoothie.)
Place white grape (or apple) juice, lemon zest and juice in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in pectin; continue stirring until completely dissolved. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a full rolling boil (a boil that cannot be “stirred down”), stirring frequently. Boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
Immediately stir in the chopped peaches. Stir vigorously for 1 minute. Stir in sugar to taste until dissolved.
Divide the jam among six 8-ounce canning jars, leaving at least 1/2 inch of space between the top of the jam and the top of the jar (this space allows the jam to expand as it freezes). Cover with lids and let the jam stand at room temperature until set, about 24 hours. Store in refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 1 year. Defrost frozen jam in the refrigerator. | Equipment: Six 8-ounce wide-mouth glass or plastic canning jars

Tip: “No sugar needed” pectin cannot be used interchangeably with regular pectin.
Variations: This recipe can be adapted to make other fruit jams. Substitute 3 cups chopped or crushed fruit of your choice for the peaches and follow Steps 2 through 4. Cranberry-raspberry juice can be used instead of apple or white grape juice. Omit lemon zest and lemon juice if desired. Here's the amount of fruit you'll need to start with to get 3 cups chopped or crushed:
Blueberries: about 2 pounds or 2 1/2 pints; remove any stems, crush with a potato masher
Cherries, sweet or sour: about 2 1/4 pounds; remove stems and pits, finely chop
Raspberries: about 2 pounds or five 6-ounce containers; crush with a potato masher
Strawberries: about 3 pounds; hull and crush with a potato masher
Variations provided by Jarden Home Brands. For more information on preserving and more jam recipes visit freshpreserving.com.

Nutrition

Per tablespoon: 13 calories; 0 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrates; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 1 mg sodium; 20 mg potassium.

Exchanges: Free food