You will be delighted to discover how easy it is to make this classic recipe for Homemade Easy Peach Jam. It is the ultimate way to preserve this sweet, aromatic, stone fruit to enjoy throughout the cooler months ahead. To make this jam, you will use just three ingredients: fresh peaches, sugar and lemon juice. Made without the addition of pectin, this is a must-try jam that captures the honeyed sweetness of this delicious fruit. It is a great way to make the most of peaches at the height of their season.
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- You don't need to peel the peaches for this recipe, as we use an immersion blender to make it beautifully smooth. If you prefer to peel the peaches and leave the fruit chunky, we also share how to do this in the recipe.
- The jam contains just three ingredients, fresh peaches, lemon juice and sugar. No additional pectin is required for this recipe.
- If you have not previously made jam, you will be delighted how easy it is. You just need to invest a little of your time, but when you finish, and see your own produce lined up, you will know that it was time well spent.
- Homemade jam is infinitely superior to shop bought. There are no unwelcome additives, artificial preservatives, or thickeners that you may find in commercially prepared jam. To me, one of the most important aspects of making your own jam is knowing that you control the quality of the ingredients.
- This is a great way to use some of summer’s bounty to enjoy in the months ahead. My fresh Peach Chutney is another way I preserve this delicious fruit.
- There are many ways to use this delicious jam.
Recipe Inspiration: this is my Great Grandmother's recipe. Stone fruits hold a special place in my heart. My great grandfather was a commercial stone fruit grower in the South Australian Riverland. It is important to me to acknowledge my heritage and demonstrate my respect for the beautiful stone fruit that we enjoy in as many ways as possible.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Peaches: we have used just ripe, sweet, yellow peaches. Ideally, to make preparation easier, look for freestone peaches rather than clingstone. As the names imply, the freestone varieties have a stone that is easily removed. They are wonderful in baking also, such an in my Baked Peach Oatmeal.
- Lemon juice: freshly squeezed lemon juice is an important ingredient in our Peach Jam. It has acidity and pectin, both of which help the jam to set. As well, the acidity of the lemon juice helps balance sweetness and aids with preservation.
- Sugar: as well as adding sweetness, sugar interacts with acids and pectin, helping the jam to set. It also aids in preservation, enabling the jam to be shelf-stable to enjoy through the months ahead
Variations:
Spices: a little cinnamon or fresh or ground ginger is a delicious addition. Vanilla extract is also lovely. Just keep in mind that spices can alter the colour of the jam slightly.
How To Make Peach Jam:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Add the fruit to your saucepan:
Prepare your peaches, and add to a large non-reactive saucepan along with the sugar and lemon juice. Give a quick stir and allow the mixture to stand.
2 – Cook the fruit:
After allowing the fruit to stand, turn the heat onto low, and stir frequently to dissolve the sugar.
Once the sugar has dissolved increase the heat and bring the mixture to the boil.
3 – Test for setting point:
Once the mixture is ready, we test for the setting point. (We use two methods, which are detailed in the recipe card.)
The above photo shows the "wrinkle test" which indicates that the jam has reached setting point.
4 – Blend and add to your jars:
Blend the jam using an immersion blender. Once blended, ladle it into the hot, sterilised jars and seal immediately.
Hint: testing the setting point is an essential part of jam making. For accuracy, we test two ways; using the chilled plate and wrinkle test method and using a thermometer. Full details are in the recipe card.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
If you follow the instructions in the recipe to thoroughly sterilise the jars you use, don’t reduce the amount of sugar and cook the jam properly, the jam will be shelf-stable for a year. After opening a jar, you should store it in the fridge and be sure to always use a clean spoon to remove the jam.
Choose peaches that are fully ripe but not overly soft. One or two slightly underripe will also be fine as they contain more pectin. Look for peaches that are aromatic and have vibrant colour. Avoid bruised or blemished fruit. A beautiful ripe peach is highly perishable, so you need to handle them gently to avoid bruising.
Pectin is a naturally occurring starch that is found in fruits and vegetables. The amounts of pectin that fruits contain varies, meaning that some jams set more readily than others. To counteract this, we add fresh lemon juice to boost the pectin content. When combined with acid and sugar, and cooked to a high temperature, it forms a gel.
Conventional jam requires a lot of sugar, and although it appears alarming, it should not be reduced. The sugar is not just a sweetener, it helps the jam to set and acts as a preservative. If you reduce the sugar, your jam may not be shelf stable.
Top Tip:
You don’t need special equipment. You need a wide saucepan with enough height to enable the jam to boil vigorously. Avoid aluminium, copper or iron pans as the acid in the fruit may react with the pan, giving the jam a metallic taste. As well, use a long-handled wooden spoon; it helps to keep your hand away from the boiling jam. Do not use metal spoons, they will become dangerously hot.
Serving Suggestions:
When it comes to enjoying this delicious jam, you are only limited by your imagination. Some of our suggestions are:
- Serve with a croissant or on toast for breakfast.
- Swirled some through plain Greek yoghurt.
- It’s always a winner when served with scones and cream.
- Add some to a cheese board; it is perfect to serve with a piquant blue cheese or a creamy ripe Brie. The salty/sweet pairing works well.
- Use the Peach Jam to top our Oat Pancakes or Oat Flour Waffles.
- Make a beautiful glaze for a Christmas ham.
- As a filling in our Jam Oatmeal Bars.
- Tie a pretty ribbon around a jar. It is a lovely homemade edible gift.
Alex xx
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Easy Peach Jam
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) fresh peaches - prepared weight See Notes 1 and 2
- 750 g (3 ⅓ cups) white granulated sugar See Note 3
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) lemon juice - freshly squeezed See Note 4
Instructions
Sterilising the Jars:
- Sterilise the jar or jars you'll be using to store the jam. Choose glass jars with an airtight, metal lid and ensure they have been washed by hand in hot soapy water then rinsed well.Check that the metal lids do not have rubber inserts – if they do, allow them to air dry, instead of placing in the oven. Preheat the oven to 130 Degrees C (270 F) and place the jars in the oven for 15-20 minutes.Keep the jars warm.
For the Peach Jam:
- Place two small saucers or plates in the freezer. See Note 6.
- Wash and dry the peaches. Cut the peaches in half, removing and discarding the stones and stems. Trim away any blemishes from the fruit. We don't peel the fruit for this recipe as we use an immersion blender to puree the mixture, but you can peel and leave the fruit chunks if you prefer - See Note 2. Cut the peaches into 2.5 cm (1-inch) chunks. Add the peaches, sugar and lemon juice to a large saucepan and mix well with a long-handled wooden spoon. Allow to stand for 10 minutes.
- After standing the mixture, turn the heat on low and stir until the sugar dissolves. (This can take 8-10 minutes)If sugar crystals get caught on the side of the saucepan, scrape down with a spatula.
- Once the sugar is dissolved, increase the heat to a rolling boil.Boil for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently. After 15 minutes, begin to check for the setting point. Your jam will likely take between 15-20 minutes, but it will depend on the width of your saucepan and how rapidly the jam is boiling.
- Turn off heat and spoon a little of the jam onto one of your chilled saucers.Let it stand for 30 seconds to cool, and then run your finger through it. If it wrinkles, even slightly, it is ready. If it is still quite liquid, put it back on the heat and boil for a further 1-2 minutes, and retest until ready. Alternatively, you could use a candy thermometer. Setting point is reached when the thermometer reaches 105 Degrees C (220 F).
- Skim any scum off the top of the jam with a spoon.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the jam.
- Carefully ladle your jam into your hot jars and put the lids on immediately. Allow the jam to cool completely. Wipe the jars to remove any spills, and store the jam in a cool, dark place.
Notes
- Peaches: this is the prepared weight, after the stones and any blemishes have been removed. Ensure your fruit is freshly picked and of good quality. Avoid fruit that is bruised or over-ripe. The peaches contain pectin which aids in the jam setting. If your fruit is older, it will contain less pectin. Good quality fruit that is frozen fresh and isn't overly icy can be used. It can be used from frozen. The cooking times will be similar - just test as per the recipe. We use a no-peel method for this recipe, as we use an immersion blender to puree the fruit. If you prefer to peel the fruit, and have a chunkier jam, follow the steps below for peeling the fruit, and then follow the recipe as written, omitting the immersion blender at the end.
- Peeling the fruit: (optional) to peel the peaches, half fill a medium sized saucepan with water and bring it to the boil. Meanwhile, prepare a medium sized bowl of iced water. Make a cross incision on the base of the peaches and place them in the boiling water for approximately 20 seconds. Remove the peaches with a slotted spoon and place in the iced water bath to stop the cooking process. Remove the peach from the iced water when it is cool enough to handle. Use a small, sharp knife to peel the skin. It will easily peel off.
- Sugar: do not reduce the amount of sugar. Whilst the sugar sweetens the fruit it also acts as a preservative and helps the jam to set. If you reduce the sugar, your jam may not be thick enough or shelf-stable.
- Lemon juice: not only balances the sweetness of the sugar, but it also contains acid and pectin, which help to set the jam.
- Sterilising the jars: properly sterilising your jars is an essential process to remove bacteria that could cause your preserves to spoil.
- Chilled plates: we use the chilled plates to quickly cool the jam when testing the setting point.
- Saucepan: I choose a large saucepan that has enough height to enable the jam to boil vigorously. More surface area means the liquid will evaporate faster; having sufficient height means you can boil the jam at a higher heat and maintain the fresh flavour of the peaches. Avoid aluminium, copper or iron pans; the acid in the fruit may react with the pan, giving the jam a metallic taste.
- Wooden spoon: do not use a metal spoon – it will become very hot. A long-handled wooden spoon is important to avoid being burnt by a splash from boiling jam.
- Setting point: my jam reached its setting point about 18 minutes after it began to boil rapidly. Boiling time will vary depending on the size of your saucepan and the heat that you apply.
- Storage: when the recipe is made according to instructions and the jars have been sterilised properly, the jam will be shelf-stable for up to a year when stored in a cool, dark place. A jar should be refrigerated after opening. This recipe has not been tested using a canning method. Please refer to the USDA Canning Guidelines for techniques, or follow a recipe designed for long-term canning.
- Nutritional information: is based on one whole jar. The nutritional information is an estimate only.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
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