Mango - Raspberry Jam Toast Topper #72

When it comes to summery-tasting Toast Toppers, my favourites are always those with a blend of seasonal Ontario fruit and a hint of tropical flair. Our summers are not always the nicest (although this year has been gloriously hot - which I love but others detest) and adding that little bit of "guaranteed sunshine" livens up even the most pallid fruit at our local markets.

Usually, making blends like this also involved a bit of finesse and planning - the tropical fruit is at its peak during the winter here, so that's when I buy, process and freeze it. Not only do I get great flavour this way, but I save money too (and leftovers make great smoothies in February!). Once the Ontario fruit begins appearing in the stores, I pick up baskets here and there, bulk-buying when they're on sale or hitting up the orchard and market that IQFs part of their harvest if I need more than a pint or so. By far, the best fruit I've procured this year have been raspberries and peaches, and this past winter mangoes were (almost literally) a dime a dozen. When I found myself with a freezer bag of each a few weeks ago - and no jam in the freezer - I took the opportunity to throw both fruits into a pot with a few packets of instant honey-ginger crystals and a pinch of cardamom, cooking them into a chunky semi-puree. A pinch of fresh lemon balm brightened up the flavours just enough so that even when thickened with pectin and stashed for a week or so, it tasted fresh and summery - not at all sugar-laden, which can often happen with "tropical" type preserves.

After watching the Jamaica-Canada Olympic battle this past week, I've been wishing I made more of this spread! My mom commented it was a great representation of the Islands and Canada, so if you're hosting any sort of (belated) Olympic brunch this would be great spread to break out too. For me? I simply find it perfect for eating!

Shared with Gluten Free Fridays 

Mango - Raspberry Jam
Makes 2 cups, 16 (2 tbsp) servings
3 large mangos, peeled and diced
1 cup raspberries
4 packets instant ginger honey crystals (like ASSI or Prince of Peace)
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 cup water
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp No-Sugar Needed Pectin (I used Ball®)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp minced lemon balm

1. In a pot, mash together mangoes, raspberries, ginger honey crystals, cardamom, water, lemon juice and zest.
2. Whisk in the pectin until smooth.
3. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.
4. Add sugar and return mixture to a full rolling boil.
5. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon balm.
7. Can 10 minutes in a waterbath

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 71.0
Total Fat: 0.1 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 0.8 mg
Total Carbs: 18.5 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.2 g
Protein: 0.3 g