My grandma didn’t know about this lower-sugar pectin, but when in Belgrade Lakes she’d cook raspberries and “scarlet skin” plums down into jam, sweetened with only frozen apple juice concentrate instead of sugar. Our backyard patch will likely yield only enough for a half-batch of this jam. If I’m richer in berries, I’ll also try the book’s regal raspberry jelly, or maybe a peach-raspberry combo. Consult the Pomona’s package insert to substitute honey (or another sweetener) for the sugar. — Laura McCandlish
Yields 4 to 5 half-pint (8-ounce) jars
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2 1/4 pounds (2 level pints to the pound) raspberries
2 teaspoons calcium water (included with Pomona’s Pectin)
Up to 1 teaspoon ground spices, such as ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice, optional
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons Pomona’s Pectin powder
Use the Pomona’s Pectin instructions to prepare the included calcium water. Sterilize canning jars, wash and rinse and keep warm until ready to use. Wash screw bands and lids; simmer lids in a small saucepot of water.
Carefully pick through raspberries, removing stems and any damaged parts. Rinse raspberries only if necessary. Combine in a large saucepan with ¼ cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 2 minutes or until the berries release their juices, stirring occasionally and gently (don’t worry if the berries break apart). Remove from heat.
Measure 4 cups of the cooked raspberries (saving any extra for another use) and return the measured quantity to the saucepan. Add calcium water (and spices if using) and mix well.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar and pectin powder. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
Bring the raspberry mixture back to a full boil over high heat. Slowly add the pectin-sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Continue to stir vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve pectin while the preserves come back up to a boil. Once the preserves return to a full boil, remove the pan from the heat.
Ladle hot preserves into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch of headspace. Remove trapped air bubbles, wipe rims with a damp cloth, put on lids and screw bands and tighten until fingertip tight. Lower filled jars into boiling water canner (covered with at least 1 to 2 inches of water), return to rolling boil and process for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and allow canner to sit untouched for 5 minutes, then remove jars and let cool, undisturbed, for 12 to 24 hours. Check for seals, then remove screw bands before storing.
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