Thursday 29 April 2010

A Jar of Homemade Goodness

For the past couple of months, I have been buying mangoes (Thai Honey Mangoes) almost every other day. I couldn't resist stocking up these sweet juicy fruits even though they took up so much space in my fridge and kitchen counter. We very much enjoy the fruit on its own, but I have also used it to make ice-blend mango smoothies, mango milkshakes, mango puddings and cakes.


With the 'bounty' of mangoes at my disposal, and, to be able to enjoy the fruits when the season is over, I preserved some  in a jar (^_^)

This mango and passion fruit jam is so simple to make! To a lousy cook like me, it is easier than cooking a pot of porridge!


All you need to do is to peel and cut the fruits, put them in a pot with the sugar and cook till the jam becomes slightly thickened. The cooking time is no more than 10mins. The only extra task is to get the jam bottles sterilised just before canning.

The best thing about making your own jam is that you know what goes into the jar...just fresh fruits and no other additives...not even pectin is used to thicken the jam. Clever pairing of fruits with low-pectin level and those with high pectin will eliminate the use of commercial pectin in jam making. Besides sugar and pectin, acid is also needed in jam making, both for flavour and gel formation. The acid content varies in different fruits and I believe passion fruit is paired here with mango as it has got high acid level. That could also be the reason why most strawberry jam is made with strawberries and lemon juice.



Unlike my Banana and Passion Fruit jam, this time, I removed the seeds from the passion fruit pulp, only the juice is used. This lovely homemade jam is not cloyingly sweet when tasted on its own...in fact it has got a slight tang to it...mainly because of the passion fruit, what's more, the jam smells really good! It goes so well with bread toasts that it has got this effect of 'picks-one-up' instantly, especially when we take our breakfast at 6am in the morning. When I told my younger child I used the jam to make a chiffon cake, he let out a loud 'Hah?!!' I was totally amused by his worried and concern expressions over his face...he thought I have used up all the jam to make the cake! After I assured him that there was still some jam left, he actually heaved a sign of relief! There is no surprise that I will make this jam again soon.



Mango and Passion Fruit Jam


Ingredients:
(yields about 300ml of jam)

500g mango flesh (use firm, just ripped fruits)
50g passion fruit pulp
200g granulated sugar*


Method:
  1. Place passion fruit pulp in a sieve, drain remove the seeds and retain the juice.
  2. Cut mango into small chunks and roughly mash with a fork. Place mashed mangoes, passion fruit juice and sugar in a stainless steel pot or a large saucepan. Mix well. (Note: use non-reactive pots made with  stainless steel, glass or enamel, avoid pots made with copper, aluminum or cast iron which would react with acid).
  3. On medium heat, stirring constantly with a heat-proof spatula or a wooden spoon, bring the mixture to a full rolling boil (when the bubbles do not stop or lessen when you stir it). Once the mixture starts to boil, skim away any excessive foams or bubbles, stirring constantly all the time.
  4. Keep at a slow rolling boil for another 5 ~ 10 mins, stirring constantly till the mixture thickens, becomes clearer and transparent (no more foams).
  5. Remove from heat. The jam will be a little runny when hot but the consistency will be just right after it has cool off.
  6. Ladle hot jam into hot sterilised jars, fill to the brim. Secure lids. Let cool. Unopened jam will keep up to 3 months** if stored in fridge or in a cool, dark cupboard. Once opened, store in fridge and best consumed within 3 weeks**.

how to sterilise glass jars and bottles:
Wash glass jars and lids in hot, soapy water, rinse well. Place jars and lids in a pot. Fill with enough cold water to cover the jars. Place over high heat and bring water to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil gently for 10 minutes. Remove jars and lids from boiling water and drain upside down over a clean tea towel. Preheat oven to 110 degC. Place jars and lids upside down on a baking tray. Place in the oven and heat for 15 minutes. Proceed to make the jam while the jars are in the oven. Do use glass jars with lids that come with a gum binder that seals them against the top of the jar.

Note:
*Do not reduce the sugar, as the amount is required to preserve the jam.
** For safe eating practices, do examine the jam frequently for signs of spoilage.

40 comments:

Kitchen Corner said...

Hi HHB,
Nothing can be better than homemade one! I could feel how good it is the family having the homemade jam with homemade bread. It's so lovely!

Tebonin said...

Yummy, the passion fruit is my favorite. I am happy to read a couple of blogs came up with different ideas of passion fruit. Love this

Angie's Recipes said...

Mango jam! How I wish to have some spread on my breakfast toast!

Suhaina said...

ohhh, looks very tempting. I am sure going to make this.will let u know after I post it.
Do visit my blog if time permits.
http://mysingaporekitchen.blogspot.com/

MaryMoh said...

This must be the best jam......my favourite in a bottle! I have to hide mangoes to make this. My children will eat all the mangoes if they see any!

Paula said...

mmm I love jams! Especially with bread!

Passionate About Baking said...

HHB,
This is my favourite combination. I've always like mango and passionfruit combination. The taste is truly good. Especially when it's homemade, it's the best! Thanks for sharing the recipe. :)

Cuisine Paradise said...

These photo really make these jam taste even better with the look... how i wish i can make some soon too.... :( Must pray hard that I recovered from "lost voice" soon before I can snack my favourite mango again... Thanks for this wonderful recipe, my mum will sure love this :)

ann low said...

Mango and passion fruit are my favorite. Thanks for sharing this easy recipe :)

Anonymous said...

genius! heh. i used to buy mangoes a lot too.
just for my mango sorbet..
..until i got lazy. heh.

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SK said...

Mango Jam looks excellent!

Anonymous said...

hi HHB,
what is use non-reactive pots ?

tracieMoo said...

Ive never made jam but passion fruit and mango sounds so tempting. I doubt I can finish them in a short period of time.. I'm so tempted to make them now!

tigerfish said...

Gosh, I see empty jars after empty jars - no more left for me?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anonymous, non-reactive pots refer to those made with materials that will not react with acid in the food (eg lemon, citrus fruits, tomato sauce) such as stainless steel, glass, enamel.

Whereas pots that are made with aluminum, copper or cast iron would react with acidic foods, imparting a metallic taste.

Unknown said...

awww i wish they sold thai mangos where i live!!!

BTW im in love with your blog, i can look at it for hours :)

beautiful photography

Anonymous said...

hi HBB, oh ok...understood...but will stainless steel make the mixture easier to burnt? hopefully i can manage well..thx thx

Pei-Lin said...

Hmmm ... Why wouldn't I think of preserving my mangoes this way when I still had gobs of mangoes in my pantry!!?? Hahaha! You've reminded me so much of my summertime in the U.S. My American mom and sisters make jam with the berries from their gardens, too!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Anonymous, no it won't get burnt, since a lousy cook like me can manage it ;) Just make sure you stir the jam continuously, dont leave it on the stove unattended...adjust (lower) the heat accordingly, let is cook on a slow boil.

WendyinKK said...

Too bad I can't try this out for curiosity's sake. My family and extended families are not bread and jam eaters.
**Sigh**

Bread-Bin-Al said...

Great blog, this stuff looks so amazing - thanks for sharing :)

pigpigscorner said...

Mango jam??!!! Nothing beats this!

Selen said...

I made this jam two days ago and it's delicious. Thanks for the great recipe!

Kraven said...

Hi,

First i want to say that I really really love your pictures! So well taken. ; )

Second, is a real problem of finding jam making equipment in Singapore. Can share where i can get jam making funnel, jars & lids and pectin in Singapore? I cant seem to find them.. ; (

thks.
Kraven

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Kraven, I don't use any pectin to make jam. All the jam recipes posted in my blog doesn't require the use of pectin and the jam still sets very well.
I use old jam jars, and I don't use any funnel, I simply pour the jam into my measuring cup (for liquid) and pour it into the empty jar.

Anonymous said...

Hi, I was very excited to find someone in SG who made jam at home.. :)

thanks for sharing this simple receipe...

I wonder if I can replaced the mango and passion fruits with CNY-orange? There's too many left over in the fridge..

thanks! :)

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, thanks for visiting :) I am sorry I am not sure whether CNY orange is suitable, in order to avoid disappointment, maybe you can look out other sites for mandarin orange jam?

Callie said...

Hi, wouldn't the jam be really sweet since the required sugar is 200g? Is there any other way around it? Like using honey as substitute? No one in my household will eat something so sweet. Thanks.

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi Callie, I do not know whether it is possible to replace it with honey. The jam doesnt taste sweet when you spread it on bread.

Anonymous said...

Hi again, may I check for
step 6:
Ladle hot jam into hot sterilised jars, fill to the brim. Secure lids. Let cool. Unopened jam will keep up to 3 months** if stored in fridge or in a cool, dark cupboard. Once opened, store in fridge and best consumed within 3 weeks**.
1) shld secure lids immediately after filling up the hot jams? Not let it cool first then close lids?
Really appreciate ur soonest reply as I'm gg to make them tonight. Thank u! ☺

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, for making jam, you need to close the lid once you fill up the jar, this way, it will create pressure and when you open your jar when ready to serve, it will give the 'pop' sound. Hope this helps.

Anonymous said...

Hi, was wondering where do you buy your jars in singapore?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, I didnt buy the jars, they are recycled ones.

Anonymous said...

Do you sell your jams? Or do you know anyone who is selling home made jams?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, I dont.

Anonymous said...

Your photos look great! Must try out the recipes you've so generously shared. Do you know where I can buy glass jam jars like those you featured in your photos? The delicious jams in these "professional-looking" jars would make good gifts. Thanks!

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, I didn't buy the glass jars they arerecycled jam jars;)

Anonymous said...

After filling the jars can you put them in a hot water bath, so they will store longer than 3 months?

Happy Homebaker said...

Hi, I have not tried this method so I am not able to comment.