Confettura di Pere e Kiwi (Pear and Kiwi Jam)

Keep the flavor of autumn with this delicious jam. Every season I prepare several jams when fruit is mature, rich in flavor and nutrients. A few days ago I friend who has a farm gave me some pears and kiwi, and I instantly knew I had to make a jam adding a special ingredient – Senera vermouth Rosso from Tuscany, my favorite! The result was a tasty and unique jam to enjoy for breakfast on a piece of homemade bread toast, as dessert on an Italian crostata or on top of panna cotta with chocolate shavings. Once you taste homemade jam you will never want to buy it again – it so tasty, rich in flavor – and healthy. My recipe calls only for fresh fruit and sugar, no pectin is added.

Kiwi and pear jam is the perfect ally for health and diet thanks to the combination of two fruits that are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Kiwi is a full of vitamin C, useful for strengthening the immune defenses but also for ensuring the synthesis of collagen, and thus maintaining the elasticity of tissues, and promoting the absorption of iron: it contains 85 mg per 100 g compared to 50 mg of citrus fruits, so eating one a day is enough to meet the daily requirement of vitamin C, which is 60 mg. It is also a fruit very rich in potassium a mineral responsible for the transmission of the nerve impulse, therefore essential for the proper function of nerves and muscles, including the heart.

Pear is also very rich in fiber and potassium, which in particular contains pectin, a soluble fiber present in the skin that reduces the absorption of cholesterol, thus helping to prevent heart disease. Fiber also helps keep blood sugar low, which is why pears can be consumed (in moderation) even by those suffering from diabetes. The presence of sugars such as fructose makes this fruit a natural energy supplement, with very few calories (just 35 per 100 g).

CONFETTURA DI PERE AND KIWI (PEAR AND KIWI JAM)

Preparation time: 50 minutes       Cooking time: 30-35 minutes + 40 minutes canning          Yield: 1.5 kg (about 3 lbs)

INGREDIENTS

1 kg (about 2 lbs) ripe and peeled kiwi, cut in small cubes
700 g (1 1/12 Ibs) ripe and pelled pears, cut in small cubes
400 g (2 cups) granulated sugar
1/2 organic lemon, juice
4 tablespoons Senera vermouth Rosso

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large saucepan cook the fruits on medium heat for 5-7 minutes
2. Add the lemon juice and sugar. Stir well to combine all ingredients
3. Cook on medium-low heat for an additional 30- 35 minutes until thickness is similar to honey, stirring frequently and skiming off the foam. When jam becomes quite dense, add the vermouth and stir constantly to prevent sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. Good jam should cook until the temperature reaches 220-222°F/104-105°C on a candy thermometer. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, use this test: Place a small amount of jam on a spoon and pour back sideways into the pan. At first it will be liquid, then later two separate drops will form on the spoon. The jam is ready to be removed from the heat when it falls off the spoon as a single drop. I like a pretty liquid jam
4. Remove from the heat and store the jam in jars in the refrigerator for two weeks. However if you prefer to keep it longer, you should preserve it, using for example the following canning method
5. For canning, use previously sterilized jars and new caps. Pour warm jam in hot jars and fill them up leaving a gap of 1 cm (½ in). Seal and turn them upside down for about 10 minutes to create the vacuum. Put the jars upright in a large pan, cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, then turn off heat. Remove the jars from the pan when the water is cold and store in a cool and dark place. – Paola