Walnut jam - general description
Jam is a great way to treat yourself to the extraordinary aroma of a cold winter and at the same time preserve all the benefits of nature's gifts. Walnut jam is called the “king” of the sweet world, which, in addition to the original taste, will provide invaluable benefits to the body. Who would have thought that the magical delicacy has a bactericidal, anti-sclerotic, anti-inflammatory action. It is rich in linoleic and oleic acid, vitamins C, PP, group B, and contains iodine, magnesium, zinc, copper and phytoncids.
Choosing the right nuts is half the success, so you should approach the process with full responsibility. For cooking, you need to choose large nuts of ideal shape, without black spots and other flaws. Fruits should be green, with a soft, milky-wax shell inside. You can check them for “professional suitability” in the following way: poke a nut with a toothpick; if it passes right through, then the raw material is of excellent quality. The best time for harvesting is the second half of June.
Walnut Jam - Cooking Utensils
It is equally important to choose a suitable dish for cooking. Contrary to conventional wisdom, copper basins are far from the best option, since copper ions destroy ascorbic acid. Aluminum is also not suitable for this purpose: the high acidity of the jam violates the oxide film, and the metal enters the product.
The best option for today is enameled containers or stainless steel utensils.
Lids and jars should be washed with a solution of baking soda (1 tsp / 1 liter of water), scalded and dried. Covers additionally boil.
Walnut Jam - Fruit Preparation
Before going directly to the cooking, the nuts must be prepared: cleaned from the green skin and soak for 2 days in cold water, which must be changed at least 3 times a day. After that, the water is drained and the nuts are immersed in a lime mortar (5 liters of cold water / 500 g. Of hydrated lime), which is drawn for 4 hours and filtered. This is necessary to eliminate the bitter taste of the future jam. Next, the nuts are thoroughly washed under running water, prick in several places with a fork and soaked in cold water for another 2 days.
Walnut jam - recipe 1
Required: 100 pcs. nuts, 2 kg of sugar, 2 cups of water, 10 buds of cloves, 1 lemon.
Prepared nuts are immersed in boiling water, completely covering them, and boiled for 10 minutes, thrown on a sieve. Sugar is mixed with 2 cups of water, boiled, skimmed. In the resulting syrup dipped nuts, cloves, add lemon juice. Bring the mass to a boil. After the jam has cooled, you need to boil it again. Repeat three times, and then cook until done. Prepacked in sterile jars.
Walnut jam - recipe 2
Required: 100 pcs. green nuts, 2 kg of sugar, 8 glasses of water, 10 buds of cloves, 2 tsp. cinnamon, 5 pieces cardamom
8 glasses of water are poured into the basin, 2 kg of sugar are poured out, and the prepared nuts are dipped after boiling. During cooking, a bag of ground spices is put into the container: cloves, cinnamon, cardamom. Boil until tender - black gloss nuts. Add vanillin. Cold jam roll up in jars.
Walnut jam - recipe 3 (in Armenian)
You will need: per 100 pieces of green nuts 400 ml of water, 1 kg of sugar, 10 buds of cloves, 10 grams of cinnamon and 2 lemons.
Prepare syrup from water and sugar, cool. Put the nuts in it, add the juice of two lemons. Boil and leave for a day. Repeat three times and then cook until fully cooked, until the nuts are completely soft. Treats in sterilized jars, pour the remaining syrup, cork.
Walnut jam - recipe 4 (in Bulgarian)
This recipe requires patience, but the result promises to be unmatched. Required: 1.1 kg of nuts, 1 cup of water, 1 kg of sugar, citric acid (10 gr.). Peeled nuts are immersed in a solution of citric acid (0.5%) for 1 hour. Cooked by alternating. First, immerse in boiling water for 4 minutes, and then in cold water for 10 minutes. The procedure is repeated several times, at least 7 times. Boil syrup out of water and sugar, put nuts into it and cook until ready. 10 minutes before the end of cooking, citric acid is added to the jam. Prepack jam in jars, roll up.
Walnut jam - recipe 5 (in Ukrainian)
It will take: 1 kg of nuts, 1.2 kg of sugar, 1 lemon, cloves (10 buds).
Prepared nuts are thoroughly washed, pierced with a thick needle, immersed in boiling water for 20 minutes, and then cooled in cold water. Cook the syrup from water and sugar, add lemon juice, cloves. The resulting solution is poured nuts, cook for 5 minutes, and then leave for an hour, then bring to a boil again and boil for 5 minutes (only 3 times). The fourth time they cook until fully cooked, cooled, rolled into jars.
Walnut jam - tips from experienced chefs
When dressing nuts, do not forget to wear gloves, otherwise iodine contained in large quantities will stain your hands with a dark color.
To get really tasty and fragrant jam, it is recommended to cook it in three steps. The jam will be thick if, after the first cooking, wait until it cools down completely.
Want to get an unusual taste? Add orange zest mixed with cinnamon and vanilla in jam - delicious aroma and unforgettable taste are provided!
It is necessary to store jam in a dark place, at a temperature not higher than 25 degrees.
