Kiwi and Granny Smith Apple Jam

Many of you won’t agree with me but I am not a massive fan of kiwi.  During these cooler months, however, it often appears in my food co-op baskets and I end up with a glut of kiwis sitting in my fruit bowl.  I know that if given a choice, I would never grab one to just eat as is.  So what do I do with all of them?

Make a jam of course.  I usually mix them with the good old apple, which gives the jam a great, chunky body.  Kiwis also go well with berries of any sort and pear.  If you like a tarter jam, kiwi with lime is also great.

Making jam is so homely and satisfying.  It’s a great way to use leftover fruit and it fills your home with the warmest and sweetest aromas.  The real pleasure of course, is enjoying your homemade jam in all kinds of ways, from straight up on a piece of fresh bread, to cheese platters or as a chutney for roasts.

If you’ve never tried making your own jam before, there’s never a better time to start stirring the pot!

Here are some simple jam tips, before you start:

1. Don’t skimp on sugar.The sugar content in jams also help prevent mould.

2. To set, jam needs the right balance of acid and pectin.Acidic fruits (e.g. citrus fruit, quince, rhubarb, pineapple, kiwi) usually have enough pectin in them to set the jam.  To be honest, this is all a trial and error game – the best excuse to make more jam!

3. If you’re using low acid fruits (e.g. stone fruit, pears, figs) you will need some lemon juice.A handy trick to help it set is to cook jam with a muslin pouch full of pectin rich lemon rind and seeds.

4. Store properly in sterilized jars to prevent mould.

Kiwi and Granny Smith Apple Jam:

What you need:

4 granny smith apples, cored, peeled and roughly cubed

1 kg kiwis, peels and coarsely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 orange

½ cup of water

1 cup raw sugar (you may prefer more or less, to taste)

Method:

1. Combine kiwi, apple, juice and water in a large saucepan.Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer.  Keep simmering until apple is soft (about 20 minutes).

2. Add sugar to the pan and stir until dissolved.

3. Simmer for another 30 minutes or until jam thickens.You will probably not need stir it for the first 15 minutes or so.  After that, stir periodically to prevent it from sticking to the pan.

4. Pour jam into sterilized jars and seal.Allow to cool.