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Canning

Breakfast, Canning, Fruit, Jams & Jellies, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Lilikoi Jelly ~ Passion Fruit

January 26, 2013

Colorful LilikoiPassion fruit, or lilikoi as we know it in Hawaii is a unique fruit with a pleasantly sweet and tart flavor.  The most common varieties are yellow and purple and they can be found in some of our health food stores on Maui.  They have a tough, waxy and smooth rind yet once you cut through the hard outer skin, the most amazing scent envelops the air.  Once cut in half, you might wonder what all the fuss is about.  Be patient.  You will find an aromatic gelatinous seed filled pulp with a fragrance that is hard to describe.  “Sublime” might hit the right note. An important step at the start of the jelly making process is to select a good recording of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and set the volume to “eleven” ala Spinal Tap!

Cut LilikoiUsing a spoon remove the pulp from the rind.  You can strain the seeds out as we do to make juice for the jelly.  The pulp from the fruit can be eaten as is, seeds and all.

Lilikoi pulp

Oxo

The best method to extract the juice is to first put all the pulp into a blender.  Then pulse it on low speed for 45 -60 seconds.  We turn our Vitamix to #3 setting.  This will separate the seeds from the pulp but won’t break the seeds.  If you have a food mill this is a good opportunity to use it.  Pour the contents of the blender into the mill and turn, turn, turn.  Soon you will have your 3 cups of lilikoi juice.

Boiling lilkoi juiceBring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly with a long wooden spoon.

Lilikoi Jellies

Lilikoi ToastA few pats of butter on your favorite toast with a spoonful of lilikoi jelly.  It’s divine.

Lilikoi Jelly

Updated 1/15/20 (increased lilikoi juice to 3 cups)

Makes 8 half pint jars

Ingredients

3 cups lilikoi juice (about 5 pounds of fresh lilikoi) or frozen, unsweetened passion fruit pulp  (Goya brand)

1 cup water

7 1/2 cups sugar

6 ounces liquid pectin (2 pouches Certo brand)

Preparation

Prepare canner and canning jars.

Combine juice, water and sugar in a large, tall pot.  Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.  Immediately add liquid pectin and bring to a full, rolling boil.  Boil rapidly for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from the heat, skim off foam (use a small fine mesh strainer) and pour into sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch space between the jelly and rim of the jar.  Secure 2 part lids and process for 10 minutes in boiling water canner.  Turn off heat and leave jars in canning pot for 5 more minutes before removing to cool.

***Basic canning instructions can be found here.

Breakfast, Canning, Fruit, Jams & Jellies, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Mango Jam

August 14, 2012

Each year we wait patiently for our annual mango season which brings us an abundant crop of fruit.  We share our mangoes with friends and family, many times lugging heavy bags of mangoes to work or wrapping them up carefully and taking them on the plane to Oahu.  One of the most enjoyable ways to eat a mango is to chill it well, cut it into bite size chunks and serve.  If you find yourself with too many mangoes you can also make mango salsa, bread, pie, smoothies, sorbet, and jam.

This little gadget works very well.  Just cut off the top of the mango and place the center of the cutter over the seed of the mango and press down.  In no time you will have your mango seeded and all you’ll need to do is remove the flesh of the mango from the skin by scooping it out with a spoon.  It saves a lot of time when preparing mangoes for jam.  There’s no need to peel and cut up the mango, just one quick swoop and you’re done.  

Process mangoes to measure 4 1/2 cups.

Sterilize your jars.

Bring the mango mixture to a rolling boil that can’t be stirred down then add sugar.  Return to a rolling boil that can’t be stirred down and boil for 1 minute.  Use a very tall pot and long wooden spoon. Mixture can splatter as it cooks.

Pour hot mango jam into sterilized jars leaving about 1/8 inch between the jam and the top of the jar.

Process jam in boiling water for 10 minutes (covered) then remove to cool on a wire rack.

Canning jam is easier than you might think.  You will need canning equipment which is basically the canner, a few helpful utensils and  jars.  These items are not expensive and the only downside is that they take up precious cupboard space.  Once you have your little jars of homemade jam you can store them in the cupboard for up to a year.  They probably won’t be around that long…

Mango Jam

Yield: 7 Half pint jars

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups coarsely chopped mango

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

6 cups sugar

1 pkg. dry pectin

1/2 teaspoon butter

Preparation

Wash fruit, peel, seed and cut into cubes.  You can mash the fruit with a potato masher or run through a food processor in batches.  I use the food processor (two batches to make 4 1/2 cups total) and pulse two times then I give it a stir with a large spoon and pulse two more times, mixing the fruit again, and one last pulse making sure not to puree the fruit leaving small pieces of mango for texture.

In a 8 – 10 quart pot, preferably with high sides, mix fruit, lemon juice, butter and pectin.  The butter helps to prevent foaming. Place over high heat, stirring constantly with a long handled wooden spoon.  Bring to a rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.  Still stirring, add sugar.  Return to a boil that cannot be stirred down, then boil for exactly 1 minute.  Remove from the heat.  Ladle hot jam into prepared half pint jars leaving just about 1/8 inch of space between the jam and top of the jar.  Wipe rims clean.  Place lids on jars and screw on the rings until a point of resistance is met – fingertip tight.  Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Once cool, remove rings and wipe rims clean.  Mark the date on the bottom of each jar and store for up to a year.  Once opened, refrigerate leftovers.  If any of the jars do not seal, store the jam in the refrigerator. For basic canning directions go here.

The jar on the left is mango jam with Hawaiian chili peppers.  For this delicious option add to the above recipe 15 – 20 Hawaiian chili peppers which have been seeded and finely chopped.  An exotic combination of sweet and hot it is especially delicious served on crackers with cream cheese.

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