So every year, as always, I go Pick-Your-Own Strawberry Picking at Russell Orchards in Ipswich. It’s well documented here on this site, so I won’t go info all the details of the Strawberry Festival and all that. This of course means that I am working on this year’s strawberry treats. First up, this year’s variation on the strawbeey jam… this time with hibiscus which gives the jam a great floral punch. Yum yum!
Ingredients
8 cups strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 pouches (approximately 5 fl oz) liquid pectin
4 cups of sugar
3 containers of hibiscus flowers in syrup (can be found here)
3 teaspoons vodka
You will also need: 10 1/2 pint sized jars
Direction
In a blender or food processor, puree the hibiscus flowers in syrup. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, crush the strawberries with a potato masher, lemon zest, and pectin. Heat the mixture to a full, rapid boil and cook for about 1 minute. Add sugar, stirring constantly until incorporated. Add in the pureed hibiscus flowers and return mixture to a full boil and boil for 1 additional minute. Remove from heat, skim off the foam.
Fill into your prepared jam jars and let cool completely, open. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon of vodka into each jar and swirl to cover the surface layer of jam. Seal tightly. Store in the refrigerator for 6 months.
