This simple and delicious spiced plum freezer jam is perfect for spreading on toast, topping yogurt or ice cream, or even using it as a glaze for meats. The warm spices add a cozy and comforting flavor, perfect for autumn.
Try Spiced Plum Freezer Jam Instead of Traditional Canning
If you’re a fan of homemade jams but don’t have the time for traditional canning, spiced plum freezer jam is the perfect solution. With just a few ingredients and no need for special canning equipment, you can enjoy the sweet, tangy flavor of spiced plum jam in no time.
Ingredients For Spiced Plum Freezer Jam
It can sometimes be difficult to find plum jam in grocery stores. After searching for it and coming up empty-handed, I made homemade spiced plum freezer jam. It was surprisingly easy to make! You can store it in regular canning jars or in freezer containers that stack easily and compactly in the freezer.
It takes only a handful of ingredients to make this delicious freezer jam.
- Ripe plums
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon juice
- Orange Juice
- Ball RealFruit Classic Pectin
- Spices–cinnamon, all-spice, and nutmeg
Pectin for Spiced Plum Freezer Jam
This recipe uses Real Fruit Classic Pectin. It is used for jams and jellies with a higher sugar content. The pectin will thicken the jam. However, don’t expect a hard set like commercially canned jam because freezer jam has a softer set.
Working with Pectin
Pectin is a soluble fiber extracted from fruits and vegetables such as apples and potatoes. It becomes a gel when heated with water, which makes it a good thickener for jams and jellies.
Here are the steps for working with pectin for this recipe.
Use Ripe Plums for Spiced Plum Freezer Jam
Plums are usually plentiful in the grocery store during late summer and early fall, so it is easy to find different varieties. Use ripe plums such as red or purple ones.
Use a Food Processor
Use a food processor to chop the plums into small pieces. This is the biggest task for making this jam; however, you don’t need to peel the plums, only remove the seeds. If you use a food processor or electric chopper, then it is a quick job!
Make it Spicy
To make Spiced Plum Freezer Jam, you’ll need lemon juice, orange juice, and a blend of warm spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and all-spice. The process involves no cooking except heating the pectin. The boiling pectin is then added to the chopped plums and stirred until it thickens into a luscious jam.
Plum Sauce
Sometimes, jam may not thicken and set. I have included a note after the recipe to help you fix this. If it still doesn’t thicken as much as you want after trying the fix, then all is not lost. You can use thin jam as a sauce on pancakes and ice cream. You can also use it to flavor salad dressing or pair it as a sauce with savory meats.
Homemade jams can be a little more “loose” than commercial jams. If you haven’t made freezer jam before, be prepared for a softer set than the commercially prepared jam you buy at the store.
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Spiced Plum Freezer Jam
Equipment
- food processor or electric chopper (optional)
- (5) 8-ounce freezer containers or canning jars
Ingredients
- 2 cups (about 1 pound) ripe red or purple plums, finely chopped
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon all-spice
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- ¾ cup water
- 6 tablespoons Ball RealFruit Classic Pectin
Instructions
- Wash the plums thoroughly and then dry them.
- Cut the plums in half and remove the seeds. Then, finely chop the plums. If using a food processor, chop all the plum halves at once on low and then on high.
- Combine the chopped plums, lemon juice, orange juice, sugar, cinnamon, all-spice, and nutmeg In a large heat-proof bowl. Mix thoroughly and let sit for 1 hour or place it in the refrigerator overnight.
- Heat the plum-sugar mixture in the microwave for 2 minutes or until hot. This will help dissolve the sugar.
- In a small saucepan, add the water and vigorously whisk in the pectin until smooth. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil that can't be stirred down and then boil hard for 1 minute, stirring the entire time. Remove from the heat.
- Pour the hot pectin water into the bowl with the plums and stir continuously for 3 minutes.
- Ladle the jam into clean freezer containers or canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch room for expansion during freezing.
- Wipe the tops of the containers for any spilled jam. Then add the lids. Place the jam in the refrigerator until set, which might take 24-48 hours.
- You can freeze the jam for up to 1 year or refrigerate for 3 weeks.
Notes
Yield
This recipe makes about (5) 8-ounce jars or freezer containers. Calories listed are for (1) 8-ounce jar.Freezer Jars
Use canning jars with straight or tapered sides for freezing jam. Avoid jars with shoulders because they are not always freezer-safe. Use plastic jars specially made for freezing.Macerating the Plums
The recipe calls for macerating the plums in the sugar mixture for 1 hour or overnight. Either option works, but overnight gives the sugar time to dissolve.Heating the Plum-Sugar Mixture in a Microwave
If you heat the plum-sugar mixture in a microwave after letting it sit, the heat will help dissolve the sugar, which allows the pectin to set better.Freezer Jam vs Canned Jam
Freezer jam usually has a softer set than canned jam. However, preparing freezer jam is quicker and easier than conventional canned jam.Troubleshooting
For jam that does not set properly, follow these instructions to fix 4 cups of runny jam at a time:- Whisk 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon Ball Classic Pectin in a wide saucepan. Add 4 cups of jam and stir well to disperse the sugar and pectin into the jam.
- Heat on medium until it boils; continue cooking for 5-10 minutes or until jam thickens.
- Place in containers and freeze.
- If the jam does not thicken at this point, it probably will not. All is not lost, however; use the jam as a sauce to top ice cream and cakes. It will also make delicious salad dressings and can be used as an ingredient in recipes using plum jam. It can also be used as a syrup on toast or pancakes.