In search of the perfect macaroni and cheese: Cherry jam

Last month, I discovered that there are U-Pick cherry orchards in this area. Considering how much I love cherries (it's a toss up between cherries and strawberries for my favorite fruit), I knew I had to check it out. After a fun (and relatively short!) time in the cherry orchards, Scott and I ended up picking 11 pounds of fruit! One of my first thoughts for processing all of those cherries was to make cherry jam, so I looked up a recipe and gave it a go this weekend!

Bing Cherry Jam from http://www.shockinglydelicious.com/blue-ribbon-bing-cherry-jam/

Ingredients:

4 cups pitted and chopped fresh, ripe Bing cherries (about 3 pounds)

½ cup strained fresh lemon juice

5 cups sugar

½ teaspoon unsalted butter

1 (3-ounce) pouch liquid pectin (repeat: liquid pectin)

1 teaspoon pure almond extract

Procedure:

1) In an 8-quart pan, combine the cherries, lemon juice, sugar and butter.

2) Over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, heat the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Stir in the entire contents of the pectin pouch. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Skim off any foam. Stir in the almond extract.

3) To prevent the jam from separating in the jars, allow the jam to cool 5 minutes before filling the jars. Gently stir the jam every minute or so to distribute the fruit. Ladle the hot jam into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims and threads with a clean, damp cloth. Cover with hot lids and apply screw rings. Process half-pint jars in a 200F (93C) water bath for 10 minutes, pint jars for 15 minutes.

The results? Delicious, but unfortunately it didn't gel at all! So, I now have six (originally seven) jars of a very good cherry syrup. Reading the reviews for this recipe, it looks like I am not the only one to have this particular issue. I think I might try a different recipe next time..