Exotic Blackberry Jam - Toast Topper #88

This blackberry jam is flavoured with orange flower water and wildflower honey with a hint of cloves. Its a super special and not too sweet spread for your morning toast!

 

 

We are jam fiends around here - probably due to the amount of bread I bake! This year, as with every year, I wind up debating whether or not to properly can my batches of jam, because while they last longer (and are easier to gift), the water-bathing is often time and space consuming in our small, shared kitchen! That said, I do try to suck it up at least one day and process all the jams for the coming year - including this one that I first tried last year. It turned out to be a sleeper hit with everyone, so I was requested to make it again! This time, I simply refrigerated the jars because any I give away can be refrigerated within a few hours and the rest will be eaten in a few months (this jam will keep at least 4 months in the fridge if near the back and tightly lidded).

Unlike many "berry" jams, this one keeps the seeds in (our personal preference of course). You can certainly puree and strain the berries if you want / need this seedless though! The secret was the combination of honey, lime juice and orange flower water, which elevated the berries without overpowering their flavour. With less sugar than a "usual" jam, the fruit flavour was more prominent as well, which is what I, at least, look for in a Toast Topper. If there is any left over (if), I plan to make cookies with it in the middle or mix it into buttercream to top cupcakes!

Exotic Blackberry Jam
Makes ~6 cups
1400g fresh or frozen blackberries, thawed but not drained if frozen
2 tbsp wildflower honey
1/2 tbsp orange flower water
pinch Kosher salt
1 tbsp lime juice
1 pkg no-sugar-needed pectin (I used Bernardin, Ball will likely work too)
1 2/3 cups sugar

1. Mash the berries in a pot along with the honey, flower water, salt, lime juice and pectin. Bring to a boil.
2. Stir in the sugar and return to a full boil. Cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and ladle into jars.
4. Process 10 minutes in a waterbath canner.