With a glut of local pomegranates and prickly pears at this time of the year, carry the tastes of late summer fruits into autumn and try your hand at some home-made jams and jellies. Perfect to spoon over hot buttered toast, yoghurt, overnight oats, cereals, pancakes and crepes for a quick and delicious breakfast.
Cooking note – Add the lemon peel (including the white, pithy part) of half a lemon for every 2 cups of liquid. The lemon peel provides pectin allowing the jam to gel. Remove it just before preserving the jam.
Pomegranate jelly
Ingredients
5 1/4 cups fresh pomegranate juice – squeeze the fruits as you would oranges
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cups sugar
A glass of prosecco (optional)
Method
Chill a small plate for testing the consistency of the jam later on. Combine pomegranate juice and sugar in a large pot over moderate heat, stirring frequently until the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat to medium high and continue cooking for 30 minutes, skimming off the pink foam as necessary. Add the pomegranate seeds and lemon juice, and prosecco if using, and cook for another 10 minutes, then check for consistency by dropping a spoonful of jam on a chilled plate. If it doesn’t run when you tilt the plate, it’s done. If not then continue to cook, testing every five minutes. Fill your sterilized jars with the jam and store it in your refrigerator.
