Easy strawberry jam, and vanilla-strawberry swirl ice cream

I finally got to put one of my wreck jars to its intended use by filling it with a small-batch of homemade jam!  It is easy to make, beautiful to look at, and delicious to eat.

I've had easy strawberry jam, or "refrigerator jam", on my to-try list for a long time but it was Tricia's beautiful post on her blog, Saving Room for Dessert, that motivated me to finally do it.  Take a look at her gorgeous photos and I challenge you not to want to go straight out to buy some strawberries and make this jam.  

Tricia, I hope you agree that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery because I tried very hard to imitate you and your results in this case.  Since this was as easy to make and as tasty as you said it would be, I think I did pretty well!

I followed Tricia's sage advice to use Grand Marnier (instead of lemon juice) in the jam.  Maybe you can't exactly pinpoint the liqueur but I know it does something magical in there.  This was definitely a worthwhile use of 2 cups of strawberries.  In a matter of 10-15 minutes, I had a thick, vibrant-red, sweet jam - ready to be enjoyed for breakfast.  My husband, who loves strawberry jam, was very impressed and we are both enjoying the fruits of my minimal labor.  I only made one cup so it's going went fast!

There are many ways to enjoy this homemade jam - from simply spreading it on top of toast or biscuits, to serving it with pancakes or crepes.  I took a few spoonfuls and stirred it into a batch of homemade Philadelphia-style vanilla bean ice cream!  

My husband loved this ice cream.  The eggless vanilla ice cream really showcases the vanilla flavor while the strawberry jam adds a level of sweetness and fruitiness.  Both have strong flavors but stand on its own as well as combined nicely together.  


I started my small jam project with 2 cups of chopped strawberries, in which I'll end up with about 1 cup of jam.  I was happy to read from David Lebovitz that fruit and berry jams are best made in small batches because the shorter the cooking time, the better the flavor!  

Then I added a cup of sugar.  I was tempted to dial down the sugar but  stopped myself because I also read and was reminded that sugar acts as both thickener and preservative for the jam so you can't skimp too much.  I certainly didn't want my jam not to set.  After the sugar, I stirred in a tablespoon of Grand Marnier orange liqueur.

In retrospect, I probably should have used a bigger pan!  The jam will bubble (and foam) as it cooks so a little extra space would have been smarter.  I kept a close eye on it though and it was not a problem.

It really only takes about 10 minutes or so of cooking - stirring and skimming away the foam that comes to the surface of the jam - before it's ready.  I took the instructions to freeze a plate and then place a small spoonful of the jam on it to test for readiness; if it flows ever so slowly after sitting on the plate for 30 seconds, you're good to go.  I really couldn't believe how quick and easy the process was!

I felt like a wizard, conjuring up this fresh jam in minutes.  

Finally, if you're making ice cream like I am or find yourself with some good vanilla ice cream, try adding some of your jam into it!  Right after churning a batch of vanilla bean ice cream, I scooped some aside and very lightly stirred in a few spoonfuls of the strawberry jam.  You don't need very much to add a nice pop of flavor and color!

Many thanks to Tricia for providing the motivation to finally make some truly easy jam.  It was really fun!

Recipe:

Easy Strawberry Jam
Adapted from Saving Room for Dessert

- Makes 1 cup - 

2 cups fresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled, and chopped into pieces
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier liqueur (or lemon juice)

Place a clean plate in the freezer (this will be used to test the jam for doneness later).

Place strawberries, sugar, and Grand Marnier (or lemon juice) into a medium saucepan over medium-heat.  Cook, stirring until mixture comes to a boil.  As you cook, skim and discard the foam that forms on top of the jam.   You should be able to get most of the foam but it's fine if you don't get it all.

Continue cooking, and stirring, until jam thickens, about 10 minutes.  To test the jam's readiness, take the plate out of the freezer and place a small spoonful of jam on it.  Let sit for 30 seconds, then tilt the plate.  If the jam is thick and flows slowly, it is ready; if it slides down the plate, keep cooking.  Continue to cook and test every 2 minutes; do not overcook.  

Place jam into a jar and let cool to room temperature.  Store cooled jam in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks.

For Vanilla-Strawberry Swirl Ice Cream:
Place homemade or store-bought vanilla ice cream in a large bowl.  It's best if ice cream is soft (freshly churned) or allowed to soften slightly.  Add desired amount of strawberry jam and lightly fold into the ice cream, leaving streaks.  I find that you don't need a lot of jam; I'd say approximately 2/3 cup of jam to 1 quart of vanilla ice cream would suffice.