Peach And Walnut Jam

This is a Low or No Sugar Jam

These directions use Low Methylester Pectin which is a special type of pectin that does not require sugar to set. Instead, it requires calcium. This calcium comes with the pectin, along with full and easy instructions on how to mix your calcium water required in this recipe.

Pomona’s Universal Pectin is a Low Methylester Pectin that comes in a convenient pack size for the home preserver. Larger pack sizes of Low Methylester Pectin are also available.

Makes 5 x 250 ml jars:

Ingredients:

• 1 kg peaches, stones removed and chopped. You may peel them if you wish, but I find the skins add a lovely colour to the jam.
• Up to 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice
• 300 to 400 grams of xylitol or sugar or 1/3 cup honey
• 3 teaspoons low methylester pectin
• 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice (The riper the fruit, the more lemon juice you need to use.)
• 4 teaspoons calcium water
• 50 grams chopped walnuts
• 1 tablespoon brandy (optional)

Directions: 

1. Prepare your 250 ml jars and lids by sterilising them in boiling water for ten minutes.
2. If you wish to peel your peaches, do this by placing them in boiling water for one minute and them in cold water. Then just slip off the skins. This method of peeling peaches will not work with canning varieties of clingstones.
3. Cut the peaches in half to remove the stones and then roughly chop them. Place your chopped peaches, along with the allspice into your preserving pan. Bring them to the boil, adding water as needed to ensure that the fruit does not stick to the pan and burn, and cook for fifteen minutes or until the fruit has softened. 
4. In the meantime mix your low methylester pectin with 100 grams of your xylitol, sugar or honey.
5. Add your xylitol/pectin, sugar/pectin or honey/pectin mixture and stir until dissolved.
6. Add your lemon juice, calcium water and your remaining xylitol, sugar or honey and mix in well.
7. Using a high heat and stirring occasionally, bring your jam back to a full rolling boil and boil for two minutes. Remove from heat.
8. Add your chopped walnuts and brandy (optional) and mix them it.
9. Using a ladle and jar funnel place your jam into your hot, sterilised 250 ml jars, leaving a one and a half centimetre headspace. Clean the rims of the jar, to ensure you get a good clean seal and cap with your sterilised lids.
10. Process your filled jars in a boiling water bath for five minutes.
11. Alternatively, if you did not pre sterilise your jars and lids, process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.