Ground Lemon Jam

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make lemon jam? Prep the ingredients. Use thick-skinned lemons. Rinse them well under warm running water and scrub the peel with the rough side of a sponge—this removes more dirt and the fruit wax often used to extend shelf life.

2. Step 2:

   

   Cut the lemons into wedges and remove any visible seeds.

3. Step 3:

   

   Grind the fruit through a meat grinder fitted with a fine plate. I suggest catching the lemon mass directly in the saucepan you'll cook the jam in. You can use a blender instead, of course, but I prefer the meat grinder—it gives the jam an even texture.

4. Step 4:

   

   Add warm filtered water to the lemons and check the purée for seeds. Be sure to remove them—if seeds or pieces of them get into the jam, it'll turn bitter.

5. Step 5:

   

   Add the granulated sugar. You can swap it for any heat-stable sweetener you like.

6. Step 6:

   

   Stir the future jam and let it sit, covered, for at least 1 hour at room temperature. In that time the lemon peel soaks up the sugar and softens.

7. Step 7:

   

   Set the saucepan over low heat and bring the purée to a boil. Cook the jam, covered, for 30–40 minutes.

8. Step 8:

   

   Sterilize the jars however you like. Here's how I do it: pour a centimeter of plain tap water into each and microwave for 3 minutes at 800 watts—the water should boil. Just pour boiling water over the lids.

9. Step 9:

   

   Go by color change and thickness: the jam should briefly but clearly hold a line scraped by the spatula. Keep in mind it'll thicken a lot more as it cools, so I recommend taking it off the heat as soon as it changes color. Cool it and check the consistency—if needed, cook it a bit more. This way you definitely won't end up with lemon caramel that sets solid as concrete in the jar :)

10. Step 10:

    

    Only hot jam goes into the jars! So if you let it cool, be sure to bring it back to a boil. Seal the jars, turn them upside down, and wrap them in a warm towel. Let the jam cool completely, then store it in the pantry.

11. Step 11:

    

    This sweet-tart jam is a real pleasure to eat! The lemon peel is soft yet springy and pleasant to chew—in the finished jam its texture reminds me of pâte de fruit.