Raspberry Linzer torte- and a giveaway

My Aunt Carol makes a bazillion cookies every year for Christmas. What is my all time favorite that she makes?

Yup, she let me have her recipe. And what do I do? I make it healthier, because I have a problem. My newest problem is realizing I can't control myself around linzer torte. Even though it's healthier, it's still not healthy for you. Yet somehow I kept saying, oh it's ok to have another square... and the next thing I knew 1/2 the torte was gone. WHOOPS.

Seriously. Amazing. I can't stop eating it. This can be served sliced like a cake, but she always cut them into little squares so I followed suit here.

Instead of using 1/2 POUND of butter, I used a 1/2 CUP of Melt. It's an organic butter substitute that uses healthy for you fats (think coconut butter). It gave the torte an amazing texture and this thing was so super delicious, I can't help myself... must go eat more...

Want to win your own Melt giveaway pack! (coupons to try melt for FREE, a cutting board, and a cool spreader). Just comment below and tell me what flavor you'd like to try first. US entries only, you have until Sunday Oct 6th to enter. Wow, when did October get here??

Linzer Torte- healthier
recipe adapted from Aunt Carol

1/2 cup Melt Original
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp lemon powder (or 2 Tbs lemon zest)
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup ground walnuts
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350, lightly spray a 8" springform pan. Beat melt and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating each in. In a separate bowl mix together flour, lemon, walnuts and spices, salt, baking powder. Mix dry into wet and stir until incorporated. Place 2/3 of the batter into the spring form pan. Top with 1 cup raspberry jam, and then remainder of the dough. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until edges start to pull away from pan. Fully cool and then cut into bite sized squares.


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Birthday Jam

It was birthday earlier this week! Jeanne's too! So lets jam! I love apricot jam, and I equally love raspberry jam. For some reason I never thought to make a combo of the two... until this summer. I was at a local farm picking apricots when the farmer asked if I wanted to grab some raspberries while I was there. A big basket later and I was on my way home contemplating what to make.

Inspiration struck. Why not make a combo of the two!? 2 on the left are straight up raspberry, 2 on the right are apricot. Dead center is the 2 for 1 deal!

Apricot Raspberry Jam
recipe by steph chows
Makes 5, 1/2 pint jars 

3 cups pitted and quartered apricots (I don't skin mine, I'm a rebel)
2 cups mashed raspberries
3/4 cup + 1 Tbs water
2 Tbs Ball RealFruit Low or No Sugar Pectin (I bought the flex batch jug)
1 cup white sugar

1. PREPARE waterbath canner, jars and lids according to manufacturer's instructions, if preserving. Prepare and measure ingredients for recipe.
2. COMBINE prepared fruit with water in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in Ball RealFruit Pectin. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.
3. ADD sugar. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat  and skim foam if necessary. 
4. Process jars for 10 minutes. To learn more on how to do this head here.

Depending on the amount of fruit you pick and type you can always use this handy dandy calculator over at Ball. It's super easy to use!




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Boozy Cherry Jam

What? You don't toss alcohol into your jam at the end? Why not? It's tasty... and it's not like I'm giving it to minors, so all is well. :)

The booze of choice you might ask? Amaretto. Pairs perfectly with freshly picked sweet cherries if I do say so myself. In case you were wondering how many cherries I picked. 8lbs to be exact, and they were picked with love in the rain. Gotta love gortex. And a bonus is they were pre-washed at no extra charge ;)

I'm kinda excited by the color of this jam, it's just so vibrant and pretty! It did have a little separation issue though, all the cherries floated to the top when I processed the cans. So really it's a 2 for 1 deal. Jam at the top, jelly at the bottom. Best of both worlds if you ask me :)

Boozy Amaretto Cherry Jam
recipe by steph chows
Makes 8, 1/2 pint jars

5 1/3 cups pitted and halved cherries (chop more if you want a less chunky jam)
1 1/3 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
6 Tbs Ball RealFruit Low or No Sugar Pectin (I bought the flex batch jug)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 oz amaretto

1. PREPARE waterbath canner, jars and lids according to manufacturer's instructions, if preserving. Prepare and measure ingredients for recipe.
2. COMBINE prepared fruit with water and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in Ball RealFruit Pectin. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.
3. ADD sugar. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in amaretto. Skim foam if necessary. 
4. Process jars for 10 minutes. To learn more on how to do this head here.

 
Depending on the amount of fruit you pick and type you can always use this handy dandy calculator over at Ball. It's super easy to use!



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Must be Jelly cause jam don't jiggle like that

99% of the time I'm a jam all the way kinda girl, bring on the bits and pieces of fruit I say! But when it comes to elderberry... jelly is preferred (too many hard seeds!!!). Have you ever picked elderberries? They are super tiny and take forever to destem so getting them prepared is a HUGE pain in the bum.

I swore I'd never make jam/jelly out of these things again, but a good friend of mine asked me to come over and help her make some jam. Of course I said yes! It wasn't until after the date was set she told me what kind we were making... elderberry... NOOOOO!! *cue scary foreboding music*

It all turned out well though, she did all of the destemming grunt work before I even walked in the door, so it was a total walk in the park! We used bal low sugar pectine to make this batch and although at first we didn't think it was going to set... it all turned out beautiful :)

Have you have had elderberries? Do you think they are worth the hassle?

Elderberry Jelly

recipe adapted from ball low sugar pectine

makes 6 (12 pint jars)

4 cups prepared elderberry juice

2/3 cup grape juice

1/4 cup lemon juice

4 Tbs ball low sugar pectin

1 cup sugar

PREPARE waterbath canner, jars and lids according to manufacturer's instructions, if preserving. Prepare and measure ingredients for recipe.

COMBINE prepared juice in an 8-quart saucepan. Gradually stir in Ball® RealFruit™ Pectin. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.

ADD sugar. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.

PACK based on steps below.

1. LADLE hot jelly/jam into hot jars, one at a time, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars. Apply bands and adjust to fingertip tight.

2. PLACE filled jars in canner, ensuring jars are covered by 1 to 2 inches of water. Place lid on canner. Bring water to gentle, steady boil.

3. PROCESS jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitute. Turn off heat, remove lid and let jars stand for 5 minutes.

4. REMOVE jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed. Clean and store jars according to manufacturer's instructions.

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Rock your socks off jam

Raspberry jam is one of my favorites to make, it was the first jam I ever made, and it couldn't be easier. Raspberries + sugar = done. So why mess with something so good? Because adding heat to things makes life more interesting! Sweet and spicy have always been a great pair, so why not with jam?

PS. Just a few days left to sign up for this years Jam Exchange! So get moving! (You have until July 31st to do so, otherwise you'll have to wait until next year!).

Raspberry Jalapeno Jam
recipe based on Simple Bites
(the only difference is I left out the lemon, since I didn't have any. whoops? still tasty and firmed up fine without it! and I used more jalapeno for some added kick!)

3 cups raspberries (approximately 1 1/2 pounds)
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
1 jalapeno, sliced along the sides ( I used 2, cause I'm spicy!)
1/2 lemon, juiced

• Prepare a small canning pot and two half pint jars. Place lids in a small saucepan of water and bring to a bare simmer.
• In a medium bowl, combine the raspberries and sugar. Using a wooden spoon, stir the sugar into the fruit, mashing the fruit up a bit as you go.
• Once the raspberries begin to release some juice and the sugar is starting to dissolve, scrape the fruit and sugar mixture into a wide, 4-quart saucepan. Add the jalapeno.
• Bring the jam to a boil over high heat, stirring regularly, until the berries break down and the syrup thickens. You should smell both the sweetness of the sugar and the heat of the chili.
• Once the jam has thickened to a spreadable consistency and passes the plate test, add the lemon juice.
• Remove pan from the heat and fish out the wilted jalapeno. Funnel the finished jam into jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
• When jars are cool, remove rings and test seals. Any unsealed jars should be stored in the refrigerator.

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Tastes like Spring

Spring has sprung everywhere it seems. Upstate NY normally has snow in March, but not this year! This year we have 80 degree weather and sun! (anyone else scared what summer is going to be like???) To celebrate Frigidaire is sponsoring bloggers to post their favorite spring time recipes. For me spring means fresh berries start showing up and all I want to do with them is make some JAM! It's the perfect time to jar up all the spring and summer goodness so you can enjoy it for the rest of the year.

Do you like making jam? Want to be part of my annual jam exchange? (here's last years round up post) Just email me at stephchows at gmail.com and I'll add you to the email list and let you know once signups start!

Even though we've been having record high temps, berries haven't sprung just yet here locally, so I had to buy berries at the supermarket, don't worry though, they will still turn into delicious jam for us. I was going to get strawberries since those are normally the first berries I pick each year, but the ones at the market weren't looking so great, and definitely not sweet (more like gigantic not so ripe berries). The most important part about jam making is to start with something good, if the fruit isn't good... don't waste your time.

Since the strawberries were a bust I went with raspberries, they are my favorite jam to make, and the easiest, no pectin packages needed, so if this is your first time making jam it will be easy!

Raspberry Jam
6 cups mashed raspberries
6 cups sugar
jam jars with new lids and rings

First thing to do is gently wash and dry your berries, this is especially important if you picked them yourself... although spiders add protein... I'd rather not have any in my jam.

Next you put them all in a big bowl and mash them a bit with a potato masher (or your hands).

Using a large pot, stirring constantly, heat 6 cups mashed berries over medium high heat until they reach a full rolling boil (bubbles still happen even as you stir)

Boil 2 minutes (keep stirring- don't stop!)

Add 6 cups sugar

Keep stirring constantly

Bring back to a boil, stirring constantly (did I say this enough), boil for 2 more minutes.

Remove from heat

The final step is processing your jars. If you plan on making a small batch and putting it all in the refrigerator you can skip this step, however if you plan on mailing your jam to someone or keeping them in the pantry for winter time... this step is a must.

Pour your still hot jam in sterilized jars and seal with lids and rings. (you can sterilize the jars by boiling them for 10 minutes)

Place sealed jars into boiling water for 10 minutes (use your jar tongs don't just drop them in)

Remove from water and let cool overnight, do not bump them while they cool.



This post was sponsored by Frigidaire. When you check out Suzanne Goin's springtime recipes at www.maketimeforchange.com, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children's U.S. programs. Plus, you'll be entered for a chance to win the new Frigidaire Range with SymmetryTM Double Ovens – featuring two large ovens (that can each fit up to a 28 pound turkey!), providing the flexibility to cook multiple dishes at the same time at different temperatures, so you can get more on the table at the same time.

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Jam Exchange Roundup!

Wow, I want to say a very special THANK YOU to everyone who participated this year. We hit a new record with over 100 people shipping jam all over this country, Canada, and one jammer exchanging with someone in Portugal! I know this takes a lot of trust blinding sending your hard work to a stranger across the country, and for the most part everything made it where is was suppose to with only a few hiccups. Thank you again for putting your trust in me and in each other to make this jam exchange possible and special. It really is a joy for me to put together and worth every minute of time spent organizing it.

Onto the jams! I've only included people who wrote me with what they sent/received. If you want to be added to the list just email me and let me know! Links are to the people's blogs if they have them (and sometimes the recipes!) If I messed up the order of images or what you sent just let me know and I'll update it :)

Jeanne sent Peach Jam and Everything but the kitchen sink Jam

Lindsay sent red currant and raspberry jam

Cathy sent Mango Raspberry Jam and Spiced Wine Peach Jam

Graham sent apricot blueberry, strawberry rhubarb, and apple butter


Nicole sent dandelion jelly and red wine-onion jam

Andrea sent Peach Vanilla Bourbon Jam and some Strawberries and Wine Jam

Amy sent Strawberry Mango Jam and Grapefruit Pineapple Marmalade

Angela sent Chocolate blueberry, blackberry dragonfruit, ginger honey lemon marmalade and strawberry meyer lemon marmalade

Rachel sent fig jam and a peach jam

The redhead sent Ginger Vanilla Peach and Blackberry Peach

Beth Anne sent Blueberry Lime Jam and Piña Colada jam

Christie sent plout jam - a savory one at that!

Evan sent champagne pomegranate jelly

Janae sent Peach Marmalade, and a jar of Organic Vanilla Strawberry Jam

Samantha sent Apricot Peach Butter, and Black Raspberry Jam

Katie sent Peach Bourbon Jam w/Vanilla and Chipotle Plum Jam


Celeste sent Mulberry and one of Peach Jalapeño

A different Samantha sent spiced blueberry compote and a strawberry lemon marmalade.
Her partner Celeste sent grape jelly, mulberry jam, peach and jalepeno jam, quice jelly, vanilla pear butter, and plum apple jam.

Steve sent White, Peach, Bing Cherry, Spicy Ketchup and a few surprises.


Val sent Blueberry-Lemon, Plum Wine-Berry, Pear-Rosemary, Tomato-Ginger, Sour Cherry, Peach-Hot Pepper and Peach Rum. (I know that's way more than 2, but Steve and Val ended up sending each other 8 and 7 varieties! WOW!)

Kris sent Low Sugar Strawberry Jam With Balsamic Vinegar and Fennel Seeds

Judith sent plum (made with fruit her brother grew) and candied jalepenoes

Meg sent Strawb/Rhubarb/onion which is her idea of heaven as chutney got her jammin' in the first place, and peach/blueberry

Liz sent low sugar mixed berry, and pluot.

Gina sent peach-lime jam, and one of peach preserves with pinot noir and cinnamon

Elizabeth sent pluot jam and a mixed berry jam. Leslie sent a blueberry lime (that lasted all of 3 days maybe), a salsa and a peach blueberry jam.

Lisa sent Strawberry Syrup (email me if you want the recipe she sent it to me) Mixed Berry Jam - From the Ball Pectin Box (strawberries, raspberries, cherries, and blueberries). & Pirate Peaches

Tracy sent strawberry-vanilla bean jam and bread & butter pickles to my partner. And, I received white peaches & saffron jam and a gorgeous strawberry jam with dark chocolate and cocao nibs!!

Doug sent white peaches with saffron jam!

Stephanie sent Microwave Citrus Marmalade and Wild Quebec Blueberry jam, and received from Betty Blackberry and Peach-Cherry jams as well as some candied jalapeno slices and tomato jam!

Kelly sent Strawberry habanero jam and raspberry chocolate sauce.

Amanda ended up getting a jar of Ginger Blueberry and a jar of Strawberry Rhubarb!

Connie sent Apricot Pineapple, Strawberry and Rachel-Berry Jam! And I sent to three peeps!




Michelle had two partners
Partner #1:
I sent Brandied Fig Jam and Ginger-Peach Jam to Carla V. in Maryland
And I received savory Onion Marmalade and luscious Ginger-Pear Jam from her.
Partner #2:
I sent Brandied Fig Jam and Strawberry-Pineapple Jam to Jeri in Alaska. (due to a family illness her partner hasn't been able to send jam back yet)



Carolyn sent Blueberry Bourbon Jam

April sent Lime curd and Strawberry Jam made with Apple pectin


Michelle sent peach habanero chutney, cherry jam, and a plum jam

Yossy sent Mixed Berry, Apricot, and Plum jam!

Danielle sent Cherry Vanilla Bean Jam and Yellow Tomato Jam

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