Cherry Peach Jam

This is a really tasty sweet jam recipe that I adapted from a crazily overdone one I found elsewhere on the net. The cherry juice turns the peaches a beautiful ruby colour and the aroma while it's cooking is to die for.

Ingredients

• 8 Normal Sized Peaches (Washed and pitted/chopped, I leave skins on but you can remove if you prefer)
• 2 Cups Cherries (chopped)
• 4 cups sugar
• 2 boxes pectin (peach jam takes extra pectin as there isn't a ton of natural
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• Butter (optional, to remove scum)

Method

• Sterilize your jars and keep them nice and warm so the temperature shock of the hot jam doesn't shatter them.

• Chop your fruit, then combine in blender or food processor. (You can also mash with a potato masher, but it takes a while)

• Process until you hit the desired consistency, I like my jam a little chunky but you can get it as smooth as you want.

• Move the fruit to a pot, add your pectin and lime juice.

(Note image is from Spiced Peach Jam)

• Bring to a boil

• Add the sugar, then bring to a rolling boil

• Once it's boiling, cook while stirring vigourously for 5 minutes or so

• The scum that forms at the top is harmless, but doesn't look very nice in your jam, stir in about a tbsp of butter and much of it will dissipate. If some remains you can add more butter, or remove it with a spoon.

• Ladle hot jam into jars, ideally with a canning funnel, but you can do without if you clean any spots on the rim.

• Seal jars and process for 10 Minutes in a boiling water bath.

Note on peaches:

• Boiling peaches for a bit then dropping them into ice cold water (as in it has ice floating in it) makes the skins very easy to peel