We Be Jammin'... Lusty Plum Cherry Jam

Lusty Plum Cherry Jam 

Found on em-i-lis

Makes 7 pints 

5 lbs black cherries 

10 black plums (5 ripe, 5 not quite ripe) 

5 cups sugar 

4 tablespoons rose water 

2 tablespoons red wine 

1 teaspoon cardamom 

1 teaspoon nutmeg 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

4 tablespoons lemon juice 

1 pinch canning or sea salt 

Pit all the fruit into a non reactive bowl, along with the salt, sugar, rosewater, spices and wine. Let sit overnight. Simmer the mixture for 40 minutes, skimming the foam off the top. Spoon into jars to 1/4 inch headspace.

Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.

How to Make Rosewater: 

• Place clean, pesticide-free, fresh rose petals (or dried petals) in a pot. 

• Pour enough boiling water to cover the petals. Cover pot with a lid. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

 • Place the cooled mixture in a bowl with a tight-fitting lid; refrigerate overnight to allow the flavor to develop. 

• Next day, strain and discard petals. 

• To store, pour rosewater into a jar with a lid; refrigerate. Leftover rosewater can be poured into ice cube trays and frozen. Once frozen, transfer cubes into a plastic bag. 

• When rose water is required for a recipe, simply defrost as many cubes as you’ll need.