Jam-Strawberries with Passionfruit
Jam-Strawberries with Passionfruit
One of the aspects I truly loved about Melbourne when we lived there was the four distinct seasons. The people in Brisbane talk about “spring” but the only change I feel is an increase in the temperature and humidity. To help you understand Brisbane’s weather, let me tell you petunias bloom autumn winter spring, it’s too wet in summer, and basil, in a protected spot, continues to flourish over “winter.”
Perhaps I’m stretching the point a little… The first flush of strawberries have hit the market. They are big, sweet, juicy and very cheap. Their delicious perfume wafts through the fruit shop tempting the most resolute shopper. I am in strawberry heaven.
The day after buying a number of punnets of the aforementioned strawberries I picked up a copy of Diana Henry’s “Salt Sugar Smoke” from the library. It’s only this year I’ve become acquainted with Henry’s recipes and I’m hooked. Anyway in the first section on Jams she includes a recipe for strawberry and passionfruit jam. This is not a flavour combination I would have considered for a conserve, but with a rather large stash of passionfruit pulp in the freezer getting toward the end of it’s shelf life I decided to give up a punnet of my coveted berries and make a trial batch of jam.
I based the proportions of fruit I used on a single 250g punnet of strawberries. I’m rubbish at numbers so adjusting the measures of the other ingredients was just guesswork. Despite that, the flavour of the jam is wonderful. The passionfruit adds a beautiful sharpness to the strawberry flavour, but it also makes it rounder, more robust.
The flavour is very exotic. One small jar is just the beginning.
The berry, passionfruit and sugar quantities can be increased fourfold, but only double the amount of lemon juice.
Strawberry and Passionfruit Jam
250g luscious sweet strawberries
Pulp of 4 passionfruit
200g castor sugar
Juice of 1 small lemon
Wash and hull the strawberries and cut into chunks.
Put the berries, passionfruit pulp, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan.
Over a medium heat stir the fruit until the sugar has melted.
Increase the heat, bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
Remove any surface scum.
Simmer until the jam gels*.
Spoon into sterilized** jars, seal immediately.
Keep the jam refrigerated once the seal is broken
*Once the jam begins to thicken, it’s time to start testing it to see if it has gelled. I put a small dob on a saucer, put it into the fridge for a minute or two then remove it and drag a finger through the cool jam. If the jam doesn’t run back into the finger track then it is ready to put into sterilized jars, seal and store.
**To sterilise the jar, wash in warm soapy water, soak off the old label, then put the jar only on a tray in a preheated 120C oven for 30 minutes. Boil the lid in small saucepan of water for 5 minutes before topping the hot jars of chutney. As it cools, a vacuum is created, guaranteeing longevity, up to 2 years on the pantry shelf.
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20 comments on “Jam-Strawberries with Passionfruit”
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Please Pass the Recipe by Sandra Gay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Please Pass the Recipe 
. When we g strawberry picking in the spring I makes lots of jam and this is a new combination for me.
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It’s complex and really delicious jam, enjoy…
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A lovely combination! Wish I could make it, but I’m happy to be entering the flavor of fall! Pumpkin butter instead of strawberry jam!
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Autumn is my favourite season Mimi, enjoy….
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What a gorgeous photo and inspired combination. Wonder if I can get Mum to make me some? (I always think I will make jam and I just never do..so am keeping it real here…)
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Thanks Cheery, I wish I could claim it as my own, it’s incredibly delicious. Take you Mum the ingredients then how could she refuse..
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Reblogged this on Chef Ceaser.
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I’ll need to pin this. When we g strawberry picking in the spring I makes lots of jam and this is a new combination for me. Sounds fantastic.
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Thanks, it is a delicious combo Gretchen, the grandkids just polished off 1/2 a jar on toast for breakfast.
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Adore Diana Henry’s work… such beautiful books and inspiring recipes. A lovely post, Sandra. Like many others of my age group, we are buying less and less to avoid waste (and over eating). Hope you are keeping well x
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Going against my preference to buy and eat local as much as possible, I guiltily picked up 4 punnets of Queensland strawberries the other day (hard to say no when they’re 2 for $5) and made a few jars of jam with them. Love the sound of adding passionfruit into the mix… I’ll know for next time! 🍓
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Do try adding passionfruit into the next batch of strawberry jam Margot, the flavour is wonderful. $1.50 a punnet here, very hard to go past. I’ve set Australia’s shores as my locality, much too hard here..
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Oh that sounds delicious. What fun it is to try something new, with fabulous results.
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Thanks Alys, I made another batch today, a beautiful addition to the jam selection
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Brisbane weather sounds just like Athens! I love Diane Henry’s books and this one has some great jams. She is very creative with her recipes, but bases them on traditional flavour combinations. Here in Garfangana (at least for the next few days) we are getting local strawberries in the autumn as well as the usual mirtilli (blueberries). Will miss them when we fly back to Greece. Note to self – need to plant a passionfruit vine in the garden!
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It’s you I have to thank for making me curious about Diana Henry. She deserves a much higher profile in Oz, A passionfruit vine is well worth the space Debi, do it. Enjoy you last days in Italy
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I like how we learn from each other. I make many of your wonderful recipes and I have learned a lot about food as well as about the Australian way of life from yours, Francesca’s, Glenda’s and Maree’s (and others) blogs. Glad you found something of use in my blog, too!
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I learn heaps from you Debi, don’t underestimate your influence and my bookshelves are stacked much higher. You should come and experience the Australian lifestyle sometime. 😀
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Now all I have to do is wait for my passionfruit to ripen. It’s the first time the vine has produced, and I’m highly excited, as I love passionfruit. This jam sounds totally luscious, and I may have to make a secret stash so the Husband doesn’t eat it by the tablespoonful…
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It is luscious Kate, worth the wait for ripe passionfruits fresh from the vine. My daughter’s vine is prolific. We make curd and cordial, now I’m adding jam to the list. Henry says in the preamble to the recipe that she first tasted this combination as a spoon sweet, so Mr C would be right on point.
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