We've had a request for a new category (one which sounds rather yummy to me) so here we go!

To Main Recipe Exchange Page

(Thanks, SilverMoonsong )


I've just finished making a batch of lime curd, which fit my criteria for recipes: FED. - Fast, Easy, Delicious

It was so fast, so easy, and so delicious (my first time with this particular recipe), I thought I'd share it here.


INGREDIENTS:

4-6 limes
4 ounces butter, cut in chunks
6 ounces sugar
2 large eggs, beaten (or 3 med.)

METHOD:

1. Roll limes on counter, this will produce more juice. (The more mature they are, the more juice they have too.) Grate zest from fruit. Squeeze juice. You need 150ml juice.

2. Put zest, butter, sugar and juice into a heatproof bowl. Set over saucepan of boiling water and heat until sugar is completely dissolved. (Stir occasionally)

3. Once dissolved, lower heat (you don't want water boiling at this point), whisk in beaten eggs until well combined. Stir with wooden spoon more or less constantly for about 20-25 mins, or until curd coats back of spoon.

4. Pour into hot jars, cool. Store in fridge.
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You can also use lemons and/or oranges, as long as you have 150ml juice it'll work fine. For those who don't like things too sweet, be aware I've cut this recipe back from the original 8oz of sugar to 6oz. I also liked the fact it used whole eggs, not just the yolks.

I tried it on top of cream cheese on crackers, was tangy, not too tart, not too sweet. Yum!

Enjoy!

I'm watching this exchange with great interest. I never have been able to successfully duplicate my late mother's wild grape jelly recipe - perhaps I'll find the answer herein.

(But in my defense, my wild grape goo recipe is great as a dessert topping ...)

Asgardshill, if your jelly-to-be turns out as goo, that means there's not enough pectin to set it properly. To increase pectin, use really ripe fruit and use some if not all of the skins. You can always add apple too, as that fruit is high in pectin, or you can add store-bought powdered pectin, as a last resort.

But the goo does sound good ...

MadMags, you are quite correct. I put only half the pectin called for in that batch (a math error when scaling up the recipe). And I've surely got a bunch of "goo" to use for dessert toppings, but they've been exquisite so far. I think I'll try it with blackberry next.

I am so excited to see this thread since I was planning on coming back from France and trying to find some jam recipes. I found the jams in France were so much more 'fruity' tasting and not so sweet. Our jams seem to be almost pure sugar.

Does anyone (in France - hint hint) have recipes for Plum Jam they would be willing to share. It is almost time for the plums to be ripe here and would love to make some again this year but not sure how much I can reduce the sugar contents.

I guess I might be the *hint*hint*

Oh, I made loads of plum jam this year, as I have three neighbours whose trees were groaning under the weight of the pums! I'll dig out the recipe this evening and let you know.

I made regular plum jam, and two variations: one with root ginger and the other with roasted sliced almonds. Both were a huge success, so I'll post the 'how to' when I get home from work. All three are as easy as pie.

I was hoping the same neighbours would hae extra apples this year as my son and I absolutely love apple jelly, but sadly it wasn't to be *sniff*

Never mind, we did get offered rhubarb and blackcurrants, and I went picking blackberries, strawberries and raspberries. All of which got turned into jam, not to mention the three pots of blueberry jam my sister in law gave me! My larder is groaning under the weight of all that jam!!! (but come christmas a goodly portion of it will go to friends and family when we get together).

You are so clever at catching hints Santana. I would appreciate the recipe. You are so lucky to have such lovely fruit in your country. We don't get many berries (too hot I think) and so many people have removed their fruit trees from their gardens.

Lucky friends and family. Pity you can't pop jars of jam in the mail.

I have no jam recipes to share, because when we have fresh ripe berries and fruit, they all get eaten well before the jam gets made!

I used to bottle such things as plums, peaches, nectarines etc. in brandy. They keep well and can be used during the holidays over ice cream etc.

If I think very hard, I could probably come up with a recipe, if anyonne is interested.

Gosh, sorry, life has run away with me this week, I'll get that recipe up this weekend, promise!

(hope you didn't have fruit waiting for my recipe!)

Nope, no plums waiting but was going to remind you soon....

I'm picking mulberries, just a few hundred grams each day; they seem not to ripen all at once. The blackbirds and the ring-tailed possums are grazing on them as well.
I've never made mulberry jam, but I guess I'll need to add apple to increase the yield and to provide pectin.
I'd appreciate hints from anyone who's wise in the ways of mulberries!

I think it's a good idea to have this recipe exchange forum


Lemon Dill Egg Salad
Ingredients
6 hard cooked eggs, chopped 2 green onions, finely chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 2 strips bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled ½ c. red bell pepper, chopped ½ tsp. lemon pepper 1 tsp. dried dill weed ¾ c. reduces fat ranch salad dressing

Directions
Toss all ingredients together and chill for at least 1 hour. Good with sliced tomatoes and lettuce leaves on a French roll.

Edited to remove link.

I have made all kinds of jams this year. Strawberry, concord grape, apricot, apricot pineapple, peach. fig, blueberry, nectarine, pear, and apple butter. I have no problem finding recipes online for any kind of fruit. I am lucky to have all of these trees with fruit that I also share with friends and neighbors. Also, if I am in a hurry I don't use jelly jars. I use the plastic containers that I get at the dollar store 3 for a dollar to put my jam or jelly in. I let it cool off and then pack it into the freezer. When I am reafy for a new container, I just take it from the freezer and put it into the refrigerator. It holds its color and freshness this way. When my kids come over they always grab a couple of containers of whichever type of jam they want.

PLUM and Almond Jam (with ginger)

1kg ripe plums
750g granulated sugar
Juice of one lemon
knob of butter
cupful of water
handful (or more) of sliced almonds
(root ginger, crushed)

Wash and stone the plums.
Cut them into quarters or smaller.
Place them in a large saucepan with the lemon juice and sugar, thoroughly mixing until the sugar dissolves.
Cover and leave aside for several hours. This helps release the juices in the plums.
Return the saucepan to the heat, add in the cup of water and bring to a rolling boil. (I add the water as otherwise my plum jam can end up very thick, but it's not essential).
Brisk boil the jam for 20-30 minutes, and test for a set.
If the jam is not set, continue boiling untill setting point is reached, testing at five minute intervals.
Remove any froth by stirring through a knob of butter, and removing any remaing froth with a slotted spoon.
At this stage you can add in the sliced almonds, mixing well to distribute them evenly throughout the jam.
Pot and sterilise.

A variation is to add crushed root ginger to the jam mixture during cooking. I also add some finely chopped root ginger to the mixture at the end of cooking, and leave it in the jam. The flavour develops during the storage time and gives it a lovely spicy tang.

I test for a set on a plate which has been chilled in the freezer. A teaspoonful of jam left to cool for a minute, when pushed lightly with your finger, will form wrinkles on the surface 'skin' of the jam, if it has set.

Another method is to drop a teaspoonful of jam into a glass of water. If the jam does not disperse into the water and falls to the bottom in one piece, then the jam is ready.

Remember your jam is always more runny when hot at the end of cooking than when completely set the following day, so do not expect the wrinkle test to produce well set jam, just set enough for the skin to form a teeny wrinkled effect.

Thanks Santana. I never put water in my jam but will give it a try. Now just have to wait patiently for the plums.

I made 8 jars of strawberry jam and 6 jars of lemon curd to sell tomorrow at the Craft Market.

I only add water to plum jam, as the other fruits are juicy enough in their own right. If I make plum and nectarine jam there's no need for the water, so go with whatever feels right to you

Hmmm lemon curd, I love it, but have never tried making any...

I'll use this thread to follow the plum theme. I guess it's a sauce, but also a Preserve. The recipe reads;

Spicy Plum Sauce

3 kg plums
1.5 kg sugar
1.75 litres vinegar
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup whole cloves
6 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 cup bruised root ginger.

1. Put all ingredients into a large pan and boil gently until stones come away cleanly (about 1.5 hours).
2. Strain through colander.

From experience; I prefer to use firm red-fleshed plums, not a soft juicy variety.
I cut back slightly on the salt.
Apple cider vinegar gives a more delicate flavour than a brown or malt vinegar.
I chop the ginger to extract maximum flavour.
I de-stone the plums first, so that after cooking I can safely blend the mix in a food processor. More fruit solids will then pass through the colander and the sauce will be thicker. I bring it back to a simmer before pouring it through a sterilised funnel into hot sterilised screw-top bottles.

Since we are in the midst of the Holidays, I thought we could share some of our favorite recipes. I see friends posting and 'pinning' on Facebook - how about we share some of those yummies here as well?

I'd like to know if anyone here has made homemade pickles and if so, how it's done. I'm familiar with bottling fruit, but have always been a little hesitant with veges.