Pineapple Jam 凤梨果酱
This delicious pineapple jam recipe is specially dedicated to anyone who loves just homemade pineapple jam. With Chinese New Year fast approaching, it's really apt to start early with preparation to make snacks and delicious goodies for that big occasion. And how else than to make this homemade pineapple jam, which goes so well with pineapple tarts, a MUST have Chinese New Year cookies!
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Servings: 1 kg jsm
Ingredients
- 5 pineapples, large, 3 ripe pineapples, 2 half-riped pineapples
- 350 gram granulated sugar, or adjusted to taste
- 1 lemon, squeeze for the juice
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5 cloves
- 4 star anise
- 3 pandan leaves/screwpine leaves, tie into a knot
Have ready a combination of ripe and half-ripe pineapples and briefly wash them over running water.
Also, have ready all the ingredients needed to cook the pineapple jam.
Prepare the warm spices for added aroma to the pineapple jam.
First, place the pineapple on its sides of a chopping board and slice off the top green crown of the pineapple.
Next, stand the pineapple upright and with a sharp knife, cut away the outer tough skin in strips, from top to bottom.
Then, slice off the bottom of the fruit.
Continue to work around the pineapple to carefully remove the "eyes" of the fruit.
Next, slice the pineapple into long quarters. And we're ready to grate the sliced pineapples!
To hand-grate the pineapples, place a strainer over a large plastic or ceramic bowl and place a grater in it.
Grate the pineapple using the largest holes on the box grater and discard the core. It is recommended to wear plastic gloves hand grating the pineapples.
When finished grating, drained the grated pineapples in the strainer. Safe the pineapple juice in the plastic bowl for later use.
Place the grated pineapples in a large surface area pot as this can shorten the cooking time and reduce the risk of burning the jam.
Add in the knotted pandan leaves, about 1/3 of the sugar and the warm spices.
Then, add in the freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Stir the pineapple mixture with a wooden spoon to ensure everything is well mixed.
Using MEDIUM HIGH heat, bring the pot of pineapple mixture to a boil.
Once it starts to boil, lower the heat to MEDIUM and stir occasionally the mixture to ensure it does not burn.
Start adding the pineapple juice in batches until all the juice has boiled and evaporated.
Continue to cook the pineapple mixture till it starts to brown and dry.
Then, turn the heat to LOW and continue cooking until the mixture turns sticky. Add in the rest of the sugar and adjust the sweetness to your taste.
Stir well until most liquid has evaporated and the pineapple jam turns golden brown in colour. Be sure to stir the mixture frequently especially towards the end of the cooking to avoid burning the jam. And we're done!
Then remove the pot from heat and set aside the jam to cool completely.
After the jam has been thoroughly cooled, discard the spices and pandan/screwpine leaves.
This delicious pineapple jam can be used right away or sealed and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until needed. This jam can keep in refrigerator for up to a month. As always, ENJOY!
Instructions
Enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Mention @HuangKitchen or tag #huangkitchen!
Recipe Video
Notes
- To pick a good pineapple, always smell the bottom of the pineapple at the store. If it smells like a pineapple, then it usually is a good pineapple.
- It's best to use a combination of ripe and half-ripe pineapples to make pineapple jam. The ripe pineapples are more juicy but has less fibre while the half-ripe are less sweet but has more fibre.
- Always grate the pineapples instead of blending as grating the pineapples give the jam the best texture after it is cooked.
- Add the pineapple juice a little at a time only after boiling the grated pineapples as this can speed up the cooking process instead of boiling the grated pineapples together with the juice.
- Add only a little of the sugar when you first start to cook the grated pineapples. When the pineapple mixture has almost dried up, then add the balance (to taste) of it. This reduces the risk of burnt jam as the sugar will start to caramelise with the jam. More importantly, it reduces splatter.
- Do not add too much of the spices as they can be overpowering. However, they are a natural antimicrobial spice, hence they help in food preservation.
- Sugar acts as a preservative so try not to reduce too much of the sugar so the pineapple jam can last unless you can be sure the jam is used up within a week.
- Use a large surface area pot with a heavy base as this can speed up the cooking process.
- For open-faced pineapple tarts, the pineapple jam can be slightly more moist as it will continue to dry out when baked. Cook the jam till it coats the wooden spoon used to stir it and the jam doesn't fall off the spoon immediately.
- For enclosed pineapple tarts, the pineapple jam has to be completely dry and sticky so it can be rolled into balls. Otherwise it will be difficult to handle during wrapping.
- Take note that the jam will thicken further upon cooling so it's best to undercook than to overcook the jam. So you can cool the jam and see the texture and if it's too wet you can cook it again to dry it. If it's too dry after cooling, dilute it by cooking another pineapple with sugar and adding the dry paste into it.
- Cooking time is dependant on the amount you make and the type of pot you use.
NUTRITION
Calories: 123kcal · Carbohydrates: 32g · Protein: 1g · Fat: 1g · Saturated Fat: 1g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g · Monounsaturated Fat: 1g · Sodium: 2mg · Potassium: 173mg · Fiber: 2g · Sugar: 27g · Vitamin A: 89IU · Vitamin C: 74mg · Calcium: 24mg · Iron: 1mg