Summer Mixed Fruit Jam

Summer in this region comes early and leaves us late but brings so many juicy, pulpy and delicious fruits along. Mangoes are certainly one of those luscious fruits that I have mentioned about in my posts on it previously. You can check out the recipes and know more about Pakistani sweet and aromatic mangoes that I have shared on my blog already (please look for mango recipes on the search bar at the right) The other fruits that this summer gifts us are peaches, apricots, lychee, watermelon, melon, plums, cherries e.t.c. These beauties not just let us enjoy on their exquisite flavors but keeps us hydrated too to beat the scorching heat. We do make drinks, salads, jams, chutneys and sauces by using these fruits. Since I had been doing posts on mangoes, the jam recipe I'm going to share today will be the last seasonal recipe on my blog that uses this succulent fruit. Oh, how I'll miss thee, o dearly beloved Mango! Until next time, farewell, my love! oh well, enough of the drama and lets get on with the recipe ;)

My regular readers know that in my household, we make jams and chutneys and I have already shared the recipe of Strawberry Preserves/Jam and Mango Chutney along with some other chutneys on the blog. I think that homemade are always best, not only in taste but good for health too as they are chemical free and does not contain any foreign sounding preservatives. We make seasonal fruit jam and in summer season, we do make apricot jam and peach jam but we never make mango jam as its extra sweet and our palates doesn't find it pleasing for that reason; that's something strange as we love mangoes in any other form. So, this year instead of making apricot and peach jam separately, I decided to mix these fruits together along with the mango for the sweetness; this way I could incorporate mango in the jam and the final product would have resulted into a heavenly tasting mixed fruit jam. Now, to be honest with you, I had never made a mixed fruit jam before but I knew that these three combined together will turn out amazing and the texture would be smooth and thick too cause of the pulpy nature of the fruits used. I then got on with my task and was able to produce something that not only wafted a sweet and tempting aroma but the flavor imparted is something that got us all hooked on it. I know this jam is something I'll be making again next year, In Sha Allah (God Willing) but in a larger quantity ;)

Let's get some jam making unleashed today, shall we? :D 

Summer Mixed Fruit Jam

Ingredients:

Mango:1 large sized
Peaches: 2 large sized

Apricot: 6 regular sized

Granulated Sugar: 2 cups/500 gm

Lemon Juice: juice of 1 medium sized lemon

Method:

1. Wash the fruit. Peel and slice the mangoes and discard the stone/seed. Further cut the slices into cubes. Cut the peaches and apricot in to wedges/halves and discard the stones/seeds. 
2. Put the fruit into a heavy based non-reactive pot along with the sugar and mix. 
3. Leave the mixed fruits for a couple of hours to release their juice upon mixing with the sugar. Best to refrigerate overnight for better results.
4. Later, cook over medium flame till the sugar syrup is formed with the juices.
5. A layer of froth will appear over the top while jam is cooking. Remove it gently with the help of a slotted spoon every now and then to get the clear jam.
6. Keep stirring while cooking and do not leave it unattended.
7. Once the sugar syrup starts thickening a bit and the fruits turn mushy in and looks cooked. Turn off the flame.
8. Now either pass the fruit through a strainer to obtain a smooth texture or blend it with a help of a hand-held blender.
9. Transfer the jam mixture over the medium flame again and cook till it thickens. 
10. Drop a small amount of the jam over a plate (preferably have been kept in the freezer for a while) if the jam gels, add the lemon juice, stir and turn off the flame after 2 minutes. If not then cook more till it starts gelling.
11. Let it cool down a bit before pouring into the sterilized jars. Seal well and keep at the cool place or keep refrigerated.

Check how to sterilize the jars here.

Yields 1 1000 gm jar

That's all, dear readers! :) The quantity of the ingredients can always be adjusted according to your desire and convenience but do stick to the ratio. I hope you enjoy making and eating it. Until next time, keep sharing the goodness of this greatest blessing, that has been bestowed in abundance upon us the lucky ones, with the less fortunate ones.
Thank you and please remember in your Du'as/prayers! :)

*Not be duplicated, rewritten or published without permission- Thank you!