Roasted Strawberry Jam

Last year my family was a little disappointed when no strawberry jam showed up in my stockpile of jars full of glistening spreadable fruit. With all of the unique flavours that I try to create, their favourite is always that simple summer classic. So this year, I decided to kick off my jamming season with the one flavour I knew they all really wanted – plain old strawberry jam.

Except, you know me, I wasn’t happy making just a regular, run of the mill, strawberry jam. This had to be a classic amped up. Simple yet elevated. Enter Roasted Strawberry Jam.

Now, let me tell you, this jam has so much flavour! It has a richer more concentrated fruit flavour then your typical strawberry jam, while also being less sweet. It is a lower sugar jam, which means it will have a looser set and taste like real fruit, not candied fruit. I love both versions of jam for different reasons and different purposes. But, I do have to say simply based on ease of preparation this one wins, hands down.

On the day I made this jam I had a million errands to run. So, I mixed up some strawberries and sugar, tossed them in the oven and let them slow roast for 2 hours while I was out doing my thang. When I came home the house smelled incredible and my jam was ready to be pureed and put away in the fridge. How easy and carefree is that? While you’re out enjoying your day, it’s doing all of the work for you. Isn’t that what summer’s all about? Taking it easy. Enjoying the simple moments. Or in my case, making jam while simultaneously running errands so that you can hopefully have a little less on your to-do list in the afternoon, so that you can take the time to have a lazy picnic lunch with your kids, just because the front yard is looking so darn gorgeous and you want to take advantage of.it.all. and enjoy these months of green, sunshine, and flowers to their absolute fullest. For this reason, this jam, is summer in a jar for me, and why it will be made in my home over and over again.

Roasted Strawberry Jam

Makes: 1.5 cups

If you have a lot of berries that need using up you can double the amount and bake it in a large rimmed baking sheet. Divide into tupperware or jars and freeze.

Ingredients

• 1 quart strawberries, hulled and quartered (1.5 pounds or 4 cups, sliced)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 vanilla bean, split and seeded (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract), optional

Instructions

1. Mix together all ingredients in a 9×13 baking dish. Let sit while you preheat the oven to 250ºF. Once preheated, transfer the dish to the oven and let roast for two hours, mixing once or twice if desired – the berries should be very syrupy, soft and slightly shrivelled. Let cool to room temperature. Remove vanilla pod, if using. Transfer to a blender or food processor and processes until the consistency that you prefer (or mash with a potato masher). Transfer to a jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for longer storage.

Adapted from Familystyle Food.