Mango Jam and a Summer Fruit Tools Giveaway Recipe
With rising temps comes more fresh fruit choices than we have in the winter. Some of these fruits require little prep work. Others take a bit more time especially if you want to do more than munch on them as is. But tell me honestly, who wants to pit cherries by hand or pluck strawberry leaves when you’re rocking a fresh manicure? Have you ever attempted to dissect a whole pineapple only to discover that the best you can do is hack away at it until you have crushed pineapple instead of perfect rings?
I am one of the fortunate bloggers to be a part of OXO’s Blogger Outreach program. Their latest promotion is all about summer fruits and the Summer Fruit Tools they sent for us to try are huge time savers.
The package contained a Strawberry Huller, Ratcheting Pineapple Slicer, Mango Splitter, 2-pc Fruit Scoop Set and a Cherry Pitter. My head was swirling with ideas as I picked up each piece imagining what I could make. The one that was the most challenging to put down however was the Mango Splitter. I have mangled more mangoes that I care to reveal trying to pit and slice them by hand.
So with the right gadget in hand making a batch of Mango Saffron Jam was super easy. Don’t be dismayed by the saffron. The finished product gives a slight nod to the exotic spice and slightly enhances the color. My recipe was inspired by one I found at Allrecipes.com. I would have used it entirely but I didn’t want to use the method entirely as stated. Now, here’s where I admit to being a tad lazy. Stirring the sugar and water until it reached the correct temperature on the thermometer wasn’t on my radar this day and I’d already jumped the gun in the preparation. I was so anxious to get started that I pitted and then chopped the mango right away. Had I paid attention to the recipe I would have boiled, steamed or microwaved the whole mango until soft, then peeled and set it aside. I freely admit this because I know I’m not the only one who on occasion never, ever, reads the whole recipe in it’s entirety before starting on it. Please raise your hand if you’ve also done this. Thanks, so glad I’m not alone. My Mango Saffron Jam is right on the border of being almost too sweet. The ripeness of the fruit will depend on whether you choose to reduce the amount of sugar or not. It’s absolutely delish on an English Muffin or piece of sourdough toast. However, there’s something else I have in mind for it that I’m hoping will knock our socks off! Remember my fancy smancy new bundt pan? Yepper! Hang on to that thought for a while.
Now here’s the best part, the good folks at OXO sent more than one set of Summer Fruit Tools. These tools are just too much fun and I’m giving a set away. This is promotion is open to U.S. residents only and I’m using Rafflecopter for the giveaway. The giveaway ends at midnight on June 6, 2013. Good Luck Friends!!!
- Mango Saffron Jam – Inspired by a recipe on Allrecipes.com
- 4 cups of chopped mangoes (approximately 4 ripe mangoes)
- 1 cup of sugar
- ¼ cup of water
- 1 tsp of lime juice
- ¼ tsp of crushed saffron threads
Split and Seed the fruit using the Mango Splitter. Then peel and chop the fruit. Steam the chopped fruit via your preferred method until it is soft. Use a potato masher, or fork to mash it until most of the chunks are gone. If you’re not into chunky jam a food processor or mixer will take care of most of them. Combine mashed mangoes and the rest of the ingredients in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Stir frequently so the mixture doesn’t scorch and continue stirring until it’s very thick. **Transfer to a canning jar and seal with cap and ring. I placed my jar into some ice water for about 5 minutes to cool it down. Which now that I think of it wasn’t really necessary. Once you have a super tight seal you’ll hear the characteristic “ping” letting you know that the process is completed. When the jam is room temperature place it in the fridge. You may also use a plastic freezer container with an air tight lid canning jars aren’t available.
**Note – This was my shortcut method of sealing the jar. For the more detailed and widely recommended method please visit www.homecanning.com .
a Rafflecopter giveaway