Low-Sugar Strawberry-Lavender Jam

Source: Jordan and Todd Champagne, Happy Girl Kitchen Co.

Recipe Type: | Seasons: ,

This recipe took a lot of time, trials, and patience to create! We wanted a very low-sugar strawberry jam that tasted just like strawberries, but still retained its pink color. We tried using other sweeteners, like agave or honey, but the results were not satisfactory. We found this recipe to be the perfect amount of sugar to get that perfect gel. People love this jam!

Yields 9 ½ pint jars 

INGREDIENTS

8 pounds strawberries
2 pounds evaporated cane juice
½ cup lemon juice
¾ cup lavender buds

PREPARATION

1.    Wash and de-stem the strawberries and drain very well. Combine with the sugar, lemon juice, and cover. Let sit in a dark, cool place overnight or up to 2 days.

2.    The next day, take the mixture and mash it by hand. Add the contents to a nonreactive pot and bring to a boil. Boil on high heat, stirring constantly, until the gelling point is reached, usually 30 to 45 minutes. Add the lavender buds in the last 10 minutes of cooking; cooking them longer can make them bitter.

3.    Pour into clean half-pint jars. Process the in hot water bath canner at 210ºF for 5 minutes. The jars will keep for up to one year.

Farmers Market Ingredients