I LOVE mangos. Seriously. I could eat one every day and never get sick of them. This is a jam I started making 4 or 5 years ago because I needed to have mangos year round. It is absolutely terrific as a cake filling and very easy to dehydrate for fruit leather. I prefer fresh mangos, but I froze so many last year that I couldn't justify buying more until I had used them. I freeze a lot of fruit in season and then use if for jams or desserts later. I do the same with lemons and limes - I dry the zest and then freeze the juice into ice cubes. When I freeze mangos though, I put lime zest and juice in with the fruit. I find mango and lime to go so well together that I can't imagine using mangos in a recipe without lime.
I had about 10 cups of mango puree when I started and finished with 7 1/2 pints. The puree was a nice bright yellow with little flecks of green lime zest, but again, the end result is not the color it should be and I think I know why. Its the sugar. I switched sugar 2 years ago and haven't made mango jam or lemon curd since before that, only berry jams, and I didn't realize that the Organic sugar would change the color so much! I'm not willing to switch back to C&H (nor should you be, read this) , so I will have to sacrifice color or switch to another sweetener.I use Pomona's for my jams and jellies. I love it because I can use any kind of sweetener that I want and I can use LESS of it. For instance, to make strawberry jam, a box of Sure requires 5 cups of fruit and 7 cups of sugar! That is a 1.4 cups of sugar to every cup of jam! Madness! With Pomona's, the recommended amount is 3/4 to 2 cups sugar (your choice how much) for 4 cups of fruit. A 1/2 cup of sugar or less for every cup. I can use honey, apple or grape juice concentrate, stevia, or nothing at all! I add sugar just because I have a sweet tooth and was raised on sugary jam :)
To enter to win a half pint of today's Mango Lime jam, leave a comment below telling me about the best mango dessert or dish you have ever had! Today's drawing closes at midnight on Wednesday and the winner will be notified Thursday.
Check back tomorrow to see what kind of jam I will make :)
You are killing me with the jam posts! I think I need to look into doing this--sounds like a fun project for my stay-at-home-momness. Favorite mango dessert? Maybe just plain ole chunks of fresh mango. I once made a mango cake but I love fresh mango!
ReplyDeleteMy new favorite thing is just mango from trader joes but the best dessert also from trader joes is a mango and cream bar yummy!!! Mango is one of my favs! Good job girl your awesome to find time to do all that!!! I use organic blue agave nectar at our house for sweetener do you think it would work for jam? Sonja
ReplyDeleteSonja, I think it would work. I haven't tried agave nectar. Do you use it like honey in recipes?
DeleteI love mango and lime! This jam sounds divine! I can't recall ever having a mango dessert, all I can think of right now is deliciously, perfectly ripe mangoes! But, I do have a favorite lime recipe that I make on occasion call Creamy Lime Coconut Bars.
ReplyDeleteYum! Lime and coconut... *drool*
DeleteMango lassi; it's a dessert yogurt drink of India, made from mango yogurt and rosewater.
ReplyDeleteRaelynne Murphy
That sounds so good! I have some rosewater around here some where... Do you have a recipe?
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