Sweeten jam with organic apple juice concentrate.
Mashed apricots before cooking.
Jam processes 5 minutes in hot water bath.Grandson waits patiently.
On June 15th, 2009 I posted how to make a low sugar strawberry jam that used a small amount of organic sugar and Pomona's Universal Pectin as its sweetening and jelling components. My family loved it and the site immediately got hits from all over the world which tells me that I'm not alone in my search for healthy jam.Today I'm going to remove the sugar completely and sweeten the jam with organic apple juice concentrate. To compare with the Sure Jell recipes, this one uses 1/3 cup of apple juice concentrate per cup of apricots (123 calories of apple concentrate) where Sure Jell calls for 1.4 cups of sugar per cup of prepared fruit (955 calories of sugar). Even their "lower sugar" recipe uses 3/4 cups of sugar per cup of apricots (453 calories of sugar). As a result, this jam has less than 9 calories per tablespoon, far less than the Sure Jell recipe.
Besides using this as a jam, you can also use this as a topping for pancakes or your favorite ice cream. Instead of buying flavored yogurt packed with sugar, use this jam to flavor plain yogurt. My favorite is organic goat yogurt from Redwood Hills.
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Organic Sugar Free Apricot Jam [makes 8 cups of jam]
6 cups mashed organic apricots (pit, chop or mash. Do NOT peel.)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed organic lime juice (or lemon juice)
2 cups organic apple juice concentrate (or white grape juice concentrate)
6 teaspoons pectin powder (you'll need less than one package of Pomona Universal Pectin)
8 teaspoons calcium water (comes in the Pomona Universal Pectin package)
Before starting, make calcium water:
1. Put 1/2 teaspoon white calcium powder and 1/2 cup water in a small, clear jar with lid.
2. Store in refrigerator between uses. Lasts a number of months - discard if settled white powder discolors.
3. Shake well before using.
Instructions for sugar free apricot jam:
1. Wash and rinse jars: let stand in hot water. Bring lids and rings to boil: turn down heat: let stand in hot water.
2. Prepare apricots. Wash, remove pits and finely chop. I don't peel them as the skin gives the jam a nice flavor. You can also throw them in a food processor and pulse a few times instead of finely chopping but be careful not to over process.
3. Place 6 cups of mashed or finely chopped apricots in a pan with 1/2 cup of lime (or lemon) juice. DO NOT ADD the apple juice concentrate.
4. Add 8 teaspoons of calcium water from the jar into the pan and stir well.
5. Bring 2 cups of apple concentrate to a boil in a separate pan. Put in a blender or food processor. Add 6 teaspoons of pectin powder, vent lid and blend for 1 to 2 minutes until all powder is dissolved.
6. Bring apricot mixture in pan to a boil. Add pectin-concentrate, stir 1 minute while cooking. Return to a boil and remove from heat.
7. Fill jars to 1/4 inch of top. Wipe rims clean and screw on 2 piece lids. Put filled jars in boiling water to cover and boil 10 minutes (add 1 minute more for every 1,000 feet above sea level). Remove from water and let jars cool. Check seals after cooling - lids should be sucked down. DO NOT move the jars until completely cooled. I generally leave them alone overnight so they set up well. Jam lasts about 3 weeks once it is opened.
Per tablespoon of jam: 9.7 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 0.1 g protein, 2.3 g carbohydrates and 0.1 g of fiber.
