Layered Jam

So yesterday i SHOWED YOU....WAIT A SECOND.....there....the caps lock got hit...

I hate caps.   For years I didn't use them at all.   I didn't miss them.   I use them now because it's more normal.    And easier for a lot of people to read.   And less distracting for those of you out there who get upset at missing caps and grammar errors and typos.    I'm not big on typos, either.   So I understnad.   Understand.  

Damn typos. 

Jam. 

I'm here to talk about jam.  Focus, Robin.

Jam.  

Lovely layered jams.    Interesting idea, isn't it!   I thought they'd be so pretty as gifts.   So I made a red and white layered jam to celebrate both of my alma maters.  Almae materae?  But I only have one alma, so .... hmmm. I can't remember the Latin plural right now, alma something, so if you know, help me out in the comments.

At any rate, I graduated from the University of Utah and then went to grad school at Indiana University. [Latin was not my major.]  The colors at both schools are red and white.  

Red and white layered jams!

Brilliant! 

For homecoming weekend.   

Or the superbowl.  Not that college teams play in the superbowl, but it's the whole team color thing expanded. 

Or wedding showers, in the wedding colors.  Because weddings need team colors, too.

Or Harry Potter parties.   It's Gryffindor jam!  Quidditch team colors!  The mind reels at the possibilities. 

I layered red raspberry jam with white nectarine jam in these jars.   It's easy.  Make your jams separately and let them cool for an hour and a half or so.   Then  alternate 1/4 - 1/3 of a cup of each jam in an 8oz jelly jar.  

Nota Bene [This is Latin for PAY ATTENTION!]:   You won't be able to process these for canning without messing up the layers.  I tried.  These jams will have to be refrigerated.   

White Nectarine Jam

Part of my loot from the Sam's produce section was a box of white nectarines.  Nectarines are a hybrid of peaches and plums - Prunus persica var. nucipersica - and are basically a firmer, fuzzless peach.   They're really common here in the midwest and the trick is to let them ripen.   Rock hard nectarines are not delicious.   When they're ripe, the flesh is soft and they smell divine.


Divine, divine, divine.  [Name that movie.  It's about a little girl.]

I had never see white nectarines before and I grabbed a box.  I figured that by the time I got the rest of the stash jammed, the nectarines would be ripe and I'd be able to do something with them.

The next day, the most wonderful fragrance filled the kitchen.   Ethereal.  Floral.  Intoxicating.

It was my box of white nectarines.   I had never smelled anything like that before.   These babies are something special.

They got their very own jam.  With nothing extra added.   And then I made a second batch and layered it with another jam and it looks awesome and I'll show you that tomorrow. 

Here's what you need to know about nectarines.   They are a very low pectin fruit, which means that they don't have a lot of pectin already in them.  If you want thick jam, you have to add a lot of pectin or a lot of sugar or both.   A lot.

Or else you'll have syrup, which isn't a bad thing.  Syrup is awesome!

White Nectarine Jam

• 4 cups, peeled, pitted and chopped nectarines [about 4 nectarines, if they're big]
• 1 cup cold water
• 1/3 cup [rounded] Dutch Jell  All Natural Lite pectin
• 1 cup sugar

Mix the cold water, pectin and fruit in a pot.   Mix well to dissolve the pectin.  Bring to boil.  Stir constantly until it reaches a hard rolling boil that you can't stir down.   Boil 2 minutes.   Add sugar, stirring well.   Bring back to hard rolling boil.  Boil for 1 minute.  Ladle into jars.  Makes 2 1/2 pints.  

Note:  This is a very low acid fruit.   If you are afraid to can it, then keep it in the fridge.