This Dame Cooks A Collection of Recipes from Alaska to the South Pacific and Caribbean

The freezer is full of mango slices for smoothies and cakes and my pantry now has a good supply of mango jam.  These little jars of jam spiced with saffron are perfect for gift giving.  A teaspoon of mango-saffron jam in a banana-mango smoothie is a terrific substitute for honey or sugar and makes a yummy filling for sponge cakes.  This jam takes 5-8 minutes to cook, has less sugar and jells in a snap with 1 pouch of Certo pectin.   I love the color of jams and jellies made with Certo pectin.  Because of the reduced cooking time, the color and clarity of jams and jellies made with Certo are brighter and the flavors are fresher.  Small batches also help to control the quality of color, flavor and the gel.  Plus the whole canning process is less of a chore when the batch is smaller.

Start by finding really ripe mangoes…they’re the sweetest.  They should be firm but not bruised and have a heavenly fragrance. The flavor of a mango is like a peach married to a papaya.  Always taste a slice to be sure they are sweet and the texture isn’t mushy.

This recipe yields about 5 cups from just 2 cups of fruit.  If saffron isn’t your thing, try adding a cinnamon stick to the pulp and remove it just before filling the jars.  Substitute lime for the lemon and add a teaspoon or 2 of lime zest when adding the Certo pectin.

You can use this same method and recipe for peaches, pears, plums etc.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups ripe mango, chopped
• juice of 1 large lemon
• 3-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 pouch Certo pectin
• 1/2 tsp saffron threads

Method:

1. Sterilize jars and keep warm until ready to fill.  Pour boiling water over lids to soften the rubber molding.
2. In a 2-quart heavy bottom sauce pan, stir sugar into chopped mango and lemon juice.  Place over high heat and stir until sugar has dissolved and the mixture comes to a full roiling boil (boil that cannot be stirred down).
3. Remove from heat, add Certo pectin and saffron, stir and return to heat.
4. Bring back to a boil, stir constantly for 1 minute.  Remove from heat, fill warm jars to 1/4-inch from rims.  Wipe rims with a paper towel dipped in boiling water.  Cap with warm lids and tighten.
5. For immediate use place jars on a tea towel to cool for 24 hours.  Refrigerate once opened.
6. For long-term storage, place hot-filled jars in a deep pot of boiling water with a towel or rack on the bottom of the pot.  One or two inches of water should cover the jars.  Process for 10 minutes in boiling water.  Remove to a draft-free area and allow to cool, let set about 24 hours.  Wipe the outside of jars and label with date preserved and name of jam.