We harvested our peaches a bit early this year to prevent the birds from enjoying these beautiful peaches before we could. Not too early though, because here in North Texas, white peaches tend to ripen earlier in the season compared to yellow peaches, typically from late May to early July. Normally we eat most of the peaches, but since this year's harvest was small (about 25 peaches), I decided to preserve them by making jam.
White peach jam is a delicious jam-like preserve made with sweet white peaches that have a delicate flavor and beautiful rose-colored hue. White peaches tend to be sweeter than yellow peaches, but they're also naturally lower in acidity, so they require the addition of lemon juice or citric acid to raise the acidity, which then makes them safe for canning. This small-batch jam recipe doesn't require any fancy ingredients, just white peaches, sugar, pectin and lemon juice or citric acid to make 4 -5 pints of shelf-stable jam.
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Normally, I prepare my jam the traditional way by cooking the fruit and ingredients on the stove top until it reaches 220 degrees (which is jam and jellies gel point). This process can tend to be time-consuming because you have to keep the fruit mixture at a controlled boil and stir it often. There is nothing wrong with this process, but sometimes it can take a while to get the fruit up to the correct temp.
With today's recipe, I will be showing you just how easy it is to make this peach jam using an electric jam and jelly maker, and it takes less than 30 minutes. I'm not much of a gadget girl, but last year I received the Roots and Harvest Jam & Jelly Maker for Christmas, and I can honestly say that it is one of my most used small kitchen appliances in my kitchen.
This is not a review post, and I'm not getting paid to promote their jelly maker, but I do love using it, so I thought I would share my thoughts with you. What I love most about this jelly maker is that even if you aren't an expert at jam and jelly making, this little machine will make the perfect jam or jelly every time.
It has an automatic stirring function to prevent scorching with a built-in timer and thermometer to ensure the correct cooking time and temperature. No more standing over the stove, stirring your bubbling jam while it splatters all over the stove until it reaches 220 degrees. I love that I can just add everything, walk off and let the machine do all the work.
If you make large amounts of jam, the traditional way might be best for you, but if you're a small-batch jam and jelly maker, I think you are going to love it. For me, if I have a lot of fruit, I normally just make one batch at a time in the jelly maker. DO NOT double the recipe ingredients to make a larger batch of jam or jelly because it won't hold all the ingredients and it will boil over. Instead, just let the machine cool down and make a second batch.
Also, don't completely cover the jelly maker with the lid while the jam is cooking (which is stated in the instructions), because some of the jam will boil over, even with the use of butter to prevent foaming. This happened to me the first time I used the jelly maker.
To fix the problem I just crack the lid and leave it open about a 1/2 inch. Once I did this, I never had that issue again. Honestly, that was the only negative thing I had to say about the jelly maker. So, if you want to give jam making a try, I think you would love this little gem until then, let me show you how to make this beautiful peach jam in the jam and jelly maker.
First you will need to wash the peaches by adding them to a small bowl or tub and filling it with cool water. I add about 2 teaspoons of white vinegar to the water for a deeper cleaning. Drain the water and rinse the peaches. Next you will need to blanch the peaches so the skins will easily slip off the peaches.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop the peaches into the water (don't crowd the pot). Let them briefly boil in the water for at least 3 minutes.
Remove the peaches with a slotted spoon and immediately dunk them into an ice water bath. Continue with the remaining peaches until all of them have been blanched.
Using your fingers rub the peaches and the skin should slide right off. Add the skinned peaches to a large bowl and continue skinning the remainder of the peaches
Remove the peaches from the pits and cut them into small pieces. Don't throw away the skins and pits, because they make delicious peach scrap jelly. Just put them aside and we will get back to those towards the end of this post.
Measure out all of you ingredients and set aside. Plug in the jam and jelly maker and press the "jam" button. You will see a 21 minute cook time come on.
Sprinkle the pectin on the bottom of the jam and jelly maker. Add chopped peaches and lemon juice or citric acid. Top with butter. Make sure the setting is on "jam" and then push enter. The machine will start at 21 minutes.
After 4 minutes, you will hear 4 short beeping sounds. Slowly add the sugar to the top of the jam mixture, while the stirrer is turning.
Cover with the lid, but leave the lid cracked about 1/2 inch to prevent the mixture from boiling over.
The jam will start to boil and come to the correct temperature. After 17 minutes the jam and jelly maker will beep again letting you know that the cooking cycle is complete.
press the cancel button and unplug the jelly maker. Remove the lid and remove the stirrer using a pot holder.
Immediately spoon the hot jam into clean, sterilized and heated half pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.
Wipe the rims clean with a wet paper towel to remove any jam on the rim of the jar. Add a canning lid and then add the rings or bands. Make sure to tighten the rings to only finger tip tight. Repeat with the remaining jars and jam.
Add jars to a hot water bath canner (making sure the water completely covers the jars). Cover with the lid and process for 5 minutes for half pints (time starts after water comes to a boil).
When the time is up remove jars onto a counter covered with a dish towel or hot pad to cool completely. Check lids to make sure they have sealed after 12 hours. Lids should not pop up when center is pressed. Store jars in a cool, dark pantry for up to 18 months.
If you're looking for a good book with simple jam and jelly recipes which is specifically for the jam and jelly maker, try Jams & Jellies "Preserving by the Pint in Minutes". I have this cookbook and it has so many wonderful recipes.
Peach Scrap Jelly
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To make fresh peach juice, add all of the peach pits and skins that you set aside earlier to a large pot and cover with water. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool completely, and place the entire covered pot in the refrigerator overnight.
In the morning remove the pot from the refrigerator, and strain the mixture through a fine sieve or strainer with a bowl placed underneath to catch the peach juice. You have just made fresh, unsweetened peach juice! This is one of my favorite things to make when I have apple, pear or peach scraps, because one it makes a delicious juice that can be made into a wonderful scrap jelly, and two I never let anything go to waste. If there is a way to use kitchen food scraps I am all for it.
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Add the peach juice to a large mason jar and refrigerate until ready to use. Look at the beautiful natural peach coloring. I had a 1/2 gallon of fresh peach juice which yielded 8 half pints jars of peach scrap jelly. I have included the peach scrap jelly at below.
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