Make Quick and Easy Strawberry Preserves

Strawberry season means purchasing a lot of strawberries for the family and then realizing everyone has stopped eating them, and I will need to throw them out after leaving them in the fridge long enough to watch them wilt. At the point of wilting I realize no one will eat these. Instead of watching them wilt and throwing them away this time, I decided to use this preserve recipe. It is great spreadable jam on toast, bagels, peanut butter sandwiches and more. This recipe is for a smaller batch that is fast and easy, but you can always double the recipe for larger batches.

Ingredients:
2 cups strawberries (hulled and cut in 1/4 pieces)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon lemon zest

Questions

1. Why do I use lemon in strawberry preserves? Citrus has high levels of Pectin (a polysaccharide), which is a thickening agent. Pectin in the lemon will thicken the preserves to a spreadable gel consistency.

2. How do I hull a strawberry? Cut around the leaves at the top of the strawberry and remove the cap.

3. How do I zest a lemon? Grate the lemon peel on a fine grater or zester.

4. How do I know when the preserves have become the right consistency? Before you begin making the preserves put a plate in the freezer. You can check to see if the preserves are thick enough by putting a drop of the fluid on the frozen plate and seeing if it is a gel consistency.

Directions: 

Put strawberries, lemon juice, and zest in a sauce pan. Add sugar and cook over medium heat until boiling. Continue to cook and stir 15 min or until mixture thickens.


Check to see if mixture is thick by putting the drop of mixture on the chilled freezer plate. Let the mixture cool completely before pouring into a glass canning jar.




Recipe by AD Couture Home: Custom Luxury For Your Home
www.avecdieu.etsy.com
avecdieucouture@yahoo.com