Generally speaking I’m a level headed person. I’m not a fan of drama, I make reasonable decisions. But sometimes I go a little over board. For instance, my decision to go apple picking when I already had 15 pounds of apples in the fridge was not well thought out. I ended up with a total of 30 lbs. A lot of them are still in the fridge. The rest have been snacked on, pied, buttered, sauced, and jammed.

I think apple jam is my new fall favourite. I was inspired by this recipe which came from Preservation Societiy‘s new book, Les Conserves Selon Camilla. The book is currently only available in French, but should be out in English next Spring. I’m eagerly awaiting the English release. So eagerly that I think I might just buy it in French and struggle through it.

The original recipe calls for rum, raisins and walnuts. I opted for bourbon, sour cherries and almonds. To be honest I think I probably cooked the jam a little too long, but it still tastes amazing. It’s like a warm hug for your taste buds.  The consistency is not like a typical jam. It’s basically chunks of fruit suspended in a thick syrup.

In terms of active time this recipe is pretty quick, but there is an overnight resting period that needs to be taken into consideration. Plan ahead.

Apple Jam

Adapted from Les Conserves Selon Camilla

Makes 5 125 ml jars

Ingredients

• 12 medium sized apples, peeled cored and diced
• 3 cups of sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• seeds from one vanilla bean
• 1 cup dried sour cherrries
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds

Method

1. In a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, bring the apples, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla to boil. Once boiling pour the mixture into a bowl, cover with parchment to keep the apples submerged in their juices. Refrigerate overnight.
2. In a small bowl, mix the sour cherries and bourbon together. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside overnight.
3. After allowing the apples and cherries to rest, sterilize your jars.
4. Pour the apples into a large heavy bottomed pot. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg then bring back to a boil over medium heat. Add the cherries and bourbon. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the almonds. Cook for 7 to 10 more minutes until the liquid forms a thick syrup.
5. Let cool slightly then pour into sterilized jars. Seal the jars by submerging in boiling water for 5 minutes.

Enjoy!