Today's Tasty Friday, yah I know it's Wednesday, but I'm coordinating a special giveaway with SPOON and Whole Home News. Not only do I have a yummy recipe for chocolate cherry preserves to share with you I also have the pleasure of sharing with you the opportunity to get yourself in the running for 3 prize packages that include:
- Preserving with Pomona's Pectin: The Revolutionary Low-Sugar,
High-Flavor Method for Crafting and Canning Jams, Jellies, Conserves, and More
- A package of Pomona's Universal Pectin
- A set of SPOON measuring spoons
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway open to residents of the continental US and Canada only. All entrants are automatically signed up for our monthly Craftside e-newsletter.
Pop on over to SPOON and Whole Home News for 2 more recipes from and enter for more chances to get
yourself in the running for this awesome Preserving with Pomona's Pectin Prize Package!
Chocolate and cherries were made for each other, and this preserve is proof. The combination of the two is insanely decadent. Be sure to use high-quality cocoa powder that is unsweetened and has no other added ingredients. Spoon this preserve on top of cheesecake for a stunning—and absolutely heavenly—dessert.
Before You Begin:
Prepare calcium water. To do this, combine 1/2 teaspoon calcium powder (in the small packet in your box of Pomona's pectin) with 1/2 cup water in a small, clear jar with a lid. Shake well. Extra calcium water may be stored in the refrigerator for future use.
Yield: 4 to 5 half-pint (8-ounce) jars
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds (1.1 kg) sweet cherries
1∕3 cup (29 g) sifted, unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (120 ml) water
1/4 teaspoon (0.6 g) cinnamon
1∕8 teaspoon (0.25 g) cayenne pepper
1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice
3 teaspoons (15 ml) calcium water
1 1/4 cups (250 g) sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 g) Pomona’s pectin powder
Directions
- Wash your jars, lids, and bands. Place jars in canner, fill canner 2/3 full with water, bring canner to a rolling boil, and boil jars for 10 minutes to sterilize them. (Add 1 extra minute of sterilizing time for every 1000 feet above sea level.) Reduce heat and allow jars to remain in hot canner water until ready to use. Place lids in water in a small sauce pan, heat to a low simmer, and hold until ready to use.
- Rinse cherries, remove stems, and then slice in half and remove pits.
- Combine cherry halves with cocoa powder and the 1/2 cup (120 ml) of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
- Measure 4 cups (946 ml) of the cooked mixture (saving any extra for another use), and return the measured quantity to the saucepan. Add cinnamon, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and calcium water. Mix well.
- In a separate bowl, combine sugar and pectin powder. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
- Bring cherry mixture back to a full boil over high heat. Slowly add pectin-sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Continue to stir vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve pectin while the preserves come back up to a boil. Once the mixture returns to a full boil, remove the pan from the heat.
- Can Your Preserves: Remove jars from canner and ladle preserves into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Remove trapped air bubbles, wipe rims with a damp cloth, put on lids and screw bands, and tighten to fingertip tight. Lower filled jars into canner, ensuring jars are not touching each other and are covered with at least 1 to 2 inches of water. Place lid on canner, return to a rolling boil, and process for 10 minutes. (Add 1 extra minute of processing time for every 1000 feet above sea level). Turn off heat and allow canner to sit untouched for 5 minutes, then remove jars and allow to cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Confirm that jars have sealed, then store properly.
More about the Fair Winds Press cookbook:
Preserving with Pomona's Pectin
The Revolutionary Low-Sugar, High-Flavor Method for Crafting and
Canning Jams, Jellies, Conserves, and More
by
If you’ve ever made jam or jelly at home, you know most recipes require more sugar than fruit—oftentimes 4 to 7 cups!—causing many people to look for other ways to preserve more naturally and with less sugar. Pomona’s Pectin is the answer to this canning conundrum. Unlike other popular pectins, which are activated by sugar, Pomona’s is a sugar- and preservative-free citrus pectin that does not require sugar to jell. As a result, jams and jellies can be made with less, little, or no sugar at all and also require much less cooking time than traditional recipes, allowing you to create jams that are not only healthier and quicker to make, but filled with more fresh flavor! If you haven’t tried Pomona’s already (prepare to be smitten!), you can easily find the pectin at your local natural foods store, Williams-Sonoma, or online.
In this first official Pomona’s Pectin cookbook, you’ll learn how to use this revolutionary product and method to create marmalades, preserves, conserves, jams, jellies, and more. From sweet offerings like Maple, Vanilla and Peach Jam to savory favorites like Red Pepper and Jalapeno Chutney, you’ll find endless combinations sure to delight all year round!
Allison Carroll Duffy is a Master Food Preserver, trained through the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. She holds a Master’s degree in Gastronomy from Boston University and teaches canning and preserving classes and workshops. She has written about food for various publications including the Boston Globe and Backpacker magazine. Allison runs the Canning Craft blog (http://www.canningcraft.com) and lives in Portland, ME with her husband and two young sons.
