No-Sugar Homemade Jam

Yield: 1 Cup

My latest batch of this all-natural jam uses summer-fresh blackberries and peaches, but the beauty of this flexible recipe is that a variety of frozen fruit may be used to make this a healthy, delicious option all winter long. See the notes section for the many ways to vary the recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup blackberries (see notes for fruit substitutions)
1 peach, peeled, pitted and diced
3 tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup (see notes)
2 tablespoons chia seeds
Optional: 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice and/or the zest the whole lemon or lime

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the blackberries, peach, and lemon juice and zest, if using (or substitute fruit of choice, amount directed below).
As the mixture begins to boil, mash the fruit with the back of a fork until it breaks down. This should take 5 minutes, give or take a few minutes depending on the type of fruit used.
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the honey, starting with 1 to 2 tablespoons. Taste, and add more honey (or sweetener of choice) to your liking.
Add the chia seeds and stir to incorporate. Let the jam set for about 5 minutes to thicken. Cool and transfer to a jar or air-tight container and refrigerate.
The jam will keep for approximately 2 weeks in the fridge and may be frozen.

This is a very flexible recipe.The trick is to start with 10-12 ounces of fruit – all berries could be used, or a mix of fruit, as desired. As done in the above version, berries are lovely mixed with fruits like peaches, apricots, or nectarines that have been peeled, pitted and finely chopped. Aim for a total of 10-12 ounces of fruit. (Frozen fruit works well and doesn’t have to be thawed. Do dice the larger pieces though; frozen fruit tends to be easy to cut with a sharp knife.)
To account for personal preference and varied sweetness among fruits, I recommend tasting as you add the sweetener. If you add lemon or lime juice, you may want a little more sweetener. (Using the zest alone will provide a hint of citrus flavor without added tartness.) Fresh summer fruit may require a little less sweetener than frozen fruit.
If you prefer a soupier jam－perhaps for a sauce or to blend into a dressing－simply adjust the amount of chia seeds down slightly, starting with 1 tablespoon or so. When varying the amount used from the recipe above, just be sure to allow at least 5 minutes before adding more. This will provide time for the chia seeds to swell, absorb the excess liquid, and thicken the jam. For a thicker mixture, you may add slightly more chia seeds.