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I am a huge fan of mixed berry jam but what I don’t love so much is how much sugar these jams can contain. I wanted to make the best jam made with fresh berries, preferably a recipe with monk fruit, when I came up with this. It’s a homemade jam recipe which is versatile and delicious. It’s probably the easiest jam recipe I’ve made as well!
Jam is always a delight to make and it also makes a wonderful gift for friends, family, colleagues, or neighbors. This summer berry jam is delicious.
If you love jams, jellies and sweet spreads, also try cranberry orange jam, strawberry jalapeno jam or even jalapeno hot honey.
Whether you grow your own fruit, a neighbor or friend is into gardening, or you just have fruit to use up, make jam! It’s so much easier to make than you might imagine and you can use your perfect combination of berries to make it. A homemade jam recipe is wonderful spread over buttered baguette bread. You can add a spoonful of mixed berry jam to your morning oatmeal or use it to sandwich together a layer cake. Use it in PB&J sandwiches or make yogurt parfait.
Which Berries to Use in Mixed Berry Jam
The fact this homemade jam recipe uses a combination of berries makes it even better for me. I can’t tell you what my favourite kind of jam I like best because I have a lot of favourites. I love strawberry jam, raspberry jam, blackberry jam, and so many others! Blueberries would work in a jam made with fresh berries too.
I’ve made jam with both fresh and frozen berries and honestly both will work. I do love working with fresh fruit though and this is the easiest jam recipe with berries.
How to Sweeten Mixed Berry Jam
Traditionally jam is sweetened with sugar but there are more options to consider if you prefer to use another sweetener. My preference would be a jam recipe with monk fruit sweetener since it’s an all-natural choice and comes from monk fruit.
Monk fruit has been used for thousands of years in China as a decongestant. It’s naturally sweet and you can get monk fruit sweeteners from the grocery store these days.
If you prefer, you can use a different type of sweetener. Honey or agave syrup would work or you can use your favourite artificial sweetener. The exact amount you use depends how sweet you want this healthy homemade jam recipe to be.
It also depends what you are using as a sugar substitute and how sweet the berries are. Bear in mind monk fruit sweetener is about 150 times as sweet as sugar. This means you won’t need the same amount to get the same result.
Tips for Jam Made with Fresh Berries
If you’re keen to make this recipe with monk fruit and you want to know how to make the easiest jam recipe, read on!
You will need just a couple of pounds of fresh berries as well as water and your preferred sweetener. Put the berries in a pan and just cover them with water. Add the sweetener and bring the mixture to a boil.
Keep cooking and stirring until the jam is thick. You can use a fork or potato masher to crush the berries into smaller pieces and release their juices.
After dividing the finished mixed berry jam between mason jars, you should let it cool at room temperature. After that, let it chill in the refrigerator preferably overnight. This recipe with monk fruit or your favourite kind of sweetener should be rich, sweet and delicious.
How to Store Homemade Jam
This jam made with fresh berries is easy to store. Keep it somewhere cool and dry, such as a pantry, cupboard or the refrigerator, away from direct light. You should use it within 12 months. Once the jar has been opened, the jam will keep for 4 weeks in the refrigerator.
Can You Freeze Homemade Jam?
If you plan on making a batch of this jam made with fresh berries, you’ll be pleased to know it does freeze well.
Either freeze this homemade jam recipe in jars or use Ziploc bags with the air squeezed out. Leave half an inch of expansion room at the top of the jar. The jam will be fine in the freezer for up to a year.
Not only is this the easiest jam recipe I’ve found but this mixed berry jam is also really easy to store.
Homemade Summer Mixed Berry Jam Recipe
Homemade Summer Mixed Berry Jam
Ingredients
- 2.2 Pounds blackberries, or your favourite combination of fresh berries
- 1 Cup monk fruit, or low calorie sugar
- water, to just cover the berries
Instructions
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the berries and water. Make sure the water barely covers the berries.
- Add the honey or sugar and place on the stove over medium heat.
- As the berries begin to soften slightly over the heat, stir them around in their juices and the sugar.
- Let the mixture come to a slow boil, stirring almost continuously until the jam has thickened. Use a potato masher or fork to break up the berries
- Pour the jam into a large mason jar and allow it to cool, covered, at room temperature for an hour before placing it in the fridge to cool completely (for at least 2 hours or overnight).
Nutrition
Oh, and it makes a nice gift. Why not wrap a jar of homemade jam in cellophane, perhaps adding some fresh berries on top as well, then decorate it with ribbons? You could even make some cute, fun labels for your homemade jam!
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
So this does not need a water bath to be shelf stable?
Hi Inga, I didn’t use a water bath but this jam was so delicious it was gone within a week anyway! It’s fine if you keep it refrigerated.
I have never used monk fruit before. I will have to look for it at the store.