11 Best Winter Jam Recipes Using Honey Instead of Sugar

Preserving berries and fruits for the winter is a long-standing tradition in national cuisine. Jam made with honey has a distinct flavor and aroma compared to traditional sugar-based preserves. Honey is an excellent preservative, preventing mold and sediment. The finished sweet product has a thick consistency, making it convenient to consume.

Can you make jam with honey?

Using honey instead of sugar to sweeten jam has been known for a long time. This natural product from wild or domesticated bees was a staple in the diet when sugar production was unknown. Processing berries and fruits with bee nectar is currently more expensive than with sugar. The ratio of ingredients in this type of jam is 1:1.

The best honey jam recipes for the winter

Making jam with honey does not have significant technological differences in terms of raw material preparation or determining readiness compared to making jam with sugar preservative.

To ensure a high-quality product, the berries or fruits must be soaked in honey syrup, just like with sugar.

Lingonberry

Before cooking, lingonberries are sorted, removing debris and spoiled berries. Then, they are soaked in water for 30 minutes until the berries are completely submerged. Lingonberries contain benzoic acid, so use enamelware when processing them.

Boil the berries for 10 minutes, then drain the liquid. Add the bee nectar. Melt the honey in the lingonberry water over low heat and add the berries. Cook, stirring and skimming off any foam, until the berries become translucent and a drop of syrup crystallizes on a cool surface.

Cranberry

Cranberries are similar to lingonberries in many ways: thick skin and high levels of ascorbic and benzoic acids. The berries are also carefully sorted. Firm, unripe berries are used for jam. Soft, juicy berries can be pressed through a sieve to make syrup.

Pour water over the cranberries to cover them by 1-2 millimeters. Place over low heat and simmer for no more than 10 minutes. Strain the berries. Mix the juice with the nectar and stir well until completely dissolved. Heat over low heat, covered, add the prepared cranberries, and simmer for 15 minutes, adjusting the cooking time according to the syrup's consistency.

Honey assortment of cranberries and apples with nuts

Blanch the cranberries for 5 minutes, press through a sieve, and mix with the liquid mixture. Peel and slice the apples, then steep them in boiling water for 3 minutes, cool in cold water, and dry. Mix with cranberry-honey syrup, add chopped nuts, and simmer for about an hour. The ratio of ingredients is 1:1:1:0.1.

Pear

Before cooking, peel and core the pear, then cut into wedges. Place in boiling water for 5 minutes and cool. Add a glass of water to the honey and bring to a boil. Add the pear and simmer for 60 minutes.

Quince

The sliced ​​fruit is mixed with honey and heated to 30-40 degrees Celsius. The mixture is left to steep for 2-3 hours and then repeated twice more. For the fourth time, the jam is brought to a gentle simmer and left for 40 minutes, until the fruit becomes translucent and the syrup begins to crystallize.

Rowan

The washed rowan berries are dried. They are then covered with warm liquid syrup and left for 6 hours. Boil for 5 minutes and then left for 6 hours.

The procedure is repeated 2 times until the berries are soaked with honey.

Apple

Apple jam is made from dense, tart varieties of apple. The preparation method is similar to pear jam.

Honey and blackcurrant treat

Sort the blackcurrants, removing the stems and tops. Pour warm honey over the berries and let them sit for 1 hour. Heat the mixture to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), stirring gently, and let it cool. Then bring it to a boil over low heat and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.

Grape

On jam is taken from grapes Seedless, autumn varieties. Pour hot nectar over them and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool and then bring to a boil again for 5 minutes. When the simmering is complete, the syrup is ready.

Strawberry

The tender berries are soaked in fresh honey and left for 24 hours. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Cold Method Raspberries with Honey Recipe

Raspberries are preserved for the winter without cooking, mixed with fresh honey. A 2-centimeter-thick layer of honey is placed on the bottom of a dry, sterilized jar (1/0.7/0.5 liter). Then, add the same layer of raspberries and pour liquid nectar over it until a new honey layer forms. Fill the jar in this manner. The top layer is a preservative. Cover with parchment paper and place on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for 1-2 months.

Storage features of the finished product

Honey jams are stored under parchment (waxed sheet + rubber band) in a dry, dark, cool place, at a temperature of at least 15 degrees.