Chunky strawberry jam with agar-agar

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   To make this delicious chunky strawberry jam, gather the ingredients along with agar-agar, the plant-based substitute for gelatin.

2. Step 2:

   

   Before you start, sort through about 2 pounds (1 kg) of strawberries, remove the stems, and rinse the berries well under running water. Spread them on a paper towel to soak up the excess moisture.

3. Step 3:

   

   Cut a third of the strawberries into medium pieces, but don't chop them too fine.

4. Step 4:

   

   Put the cut strawberries in a suitable heavy-bottomed pot and add 600 grams (3 cups) of sugar.

5. Step 5:

   

   Puree the remaining berries with a blender. Set the pot of cut berries over medium heat, bring it to a boil while stirring, and along the way add a teaspoon of butter, which is very effective at keeping foam from forming.

6. Step 6:

   

   Add the pureed berries to the pot, lower the heat, and cook, stirring constantly, for another ten minutes. Then turn off the heat, take the pot off the stove, and let the jam cool for fifteen minutes.

7. Step 7:

   

   We're using a plant-based pectin that replaces gelatin: stir the 2 teaspoons of agar-agar into a bowl with 2 tablespoons of sugar.

8. Step 8:

   

   Set the pot of jam back on the stove, bring it to a boil, pour in the sugar-and-agar mixture, and stir thoroughly. Jam made with pectin is lower in calories and needs far less sugar. Cook the jam for exactly ten minutes from the moment it boils, stirring well the whole time.

9. Step 9:

   

   Ladle the jam, still hot, into jars that you've sterilized in the oven beforehand, and seal them with suitable lids. Put up this delicious strawberry jam for the winter, so that later, on cold evenings, you can enjoy the wonderful summery aromas of this gorgeous dessert.