Since it is the apple (and all its related fruits) season, we are inventing ways to use up all of the produce in interesting ways. My parents gave me a few quinces, so I decided to make a small batch of jam. This jam is very tasty and creamy and didn’t require too much effort at all. I’m very much looking forward to smudging it on my toast, yum.

INGREDIENTS:

(Yields 5 jars / 0.44 EUR per jar / 2.20 EUR for all)

6 quinces (1.33 EUR)

3 apples (0.40 EUR)

2 cups water (–)

2 tbsp lemon juice (0.27 EUR)

1 and ½ cups sugar, divided (0.20 EUR)

METHOD:

Prepare the jars and lids by washing them in hot soapy water. Wash, core and finely dice the quinces and apples, making sure to discard any suspicious looking bits, but leave the skins on everything intact. Add the diced fruit to a pot together with water, lemon juice and a cup of sugar and place on a medium-high heat. Set your oven to preheat to 170°C (we’re getting to this part later on).

Once the fruit mix reaches a boil, stir occasionally and cook for 20-30 minutes, until the fruit softens and starts breaking apart. Remove from heat and pulse with an immersion blender into a fine mash. Stir in the remaining sugar and taste the jam to see if it needs more sugar. Return to a medium-low heat and cook for additional 3-4 minutes, while stirring constantly. Be really careful, as it’s gonna bubble up a lot at this point. The pectin in quinces and apples is going to make this jam quite thick, so you might need to add a splash more of water to dilute it a bit.

Distribute the jam between prepared jars and wipe the rims clean. Put the unopened jars in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, so a protective crust can form on the jam. Remove the jars from the oven, carefully seal and allow them to cool completely at room temperature before storing in a dark cool place.

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Pošto je sezona jabuka (i svog srodnog voća), smišljamo razne zanimljive načine kako da sve te plodove iskoristimo. Moji roditelji su mi poklonili nekoliko dunja, pa sam odlučila napraviti malu turu pekmeza. Konačni proizvod je jako ukusan i kremast te je bio gotov prilično brzo. Ne moram vam ni objašnjavati koliko se veselim tome da ovaj pekmez razmažem po vrućem komadu tosta, mljac.

SASTOJCI:

(Za 5 teglica / 3,30 kn po teglici / 16,50 kn za sve)

6 dunja (10,00 kn)

3 jabuke (3,00 kn)

2 šalice vode (–)

2 žlice limunovog soka (2,00 kn)

1 i ½ šalica šećera, podijeljena (1,50 kn)

PRIPREMA:

Prvo si pripremite teglice i poklopce tako da ih dobro operete u toploj vodi sa deterdžentom. Operite, očistite i na kockice narežite dunje i jabuke, s time da na svemu ostavite koru. Samo pazite da dobro očistite i bacite sve sumnjive dijelove. Narezano voće ubacite u lonac skupa sa vodom, limunovim sokom i šalicom šećera, pa sve stavite kuhati na srednje-jaku vatru. Stavite pećnicu da se grije na 170°C (do tog dijela dolazimo kasnije).

Nakon što sve zakipi kuhajte još 20-30 minuta uz povremeno miješanje, sve dok voće ne omekša i ne počne se raspadati. Maknite lonac s vatre i štapnim mikserom propulsirajte u glatku kašu. Umiješajte preostali šećer i probajte pekmez da vidite ako mu treba još šećera. Vratite na srednje-nisku vatru i kuhajte još 3-4 minute uz stalno miješanje. Budite jako pažljivi, jer će sada pekmez jako bublati. Obzirom kako su dunje i jabuke pune pektina, pekmez će biti jako gust pa ćete možda morati dodati još malo vode da ga mrvicu razrijedite.

Raspodijelite pekmez po pripremljenim teglicama i dobro obrišite rubove tegli. Stavite otvorene tegle u zagrijanu pećnicu na 10-15 minuta, kako bi se na pekmezu napravila zaštitna korica. Izvadite tegle iz pećnice, zatvorite i ostavite da se skroz ohlade na sobnoj temperaturi prije nego ih spremite na tamno i hladno mjesto.