This jewel-hued jam made with winter cranberries, orange and a touch of hot serrano chili peppers makes for a delicious addition to your Holiday table or a lovely Christmas Edible Gift.
Hello, my dear readers. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your loved ones. Let me first tell you how grateful I am for all your continued love and support. I am humbled and awed every day. Thank you!
I cannot believe it’s almost December. But that means one thing – Christmas! It’s almost here, folks. Can’t you feel it? A light nip in the air, the smell of cookies and spice, the anticipation of the coming season… oh, I love it!
This year I have decided to be a good blogger and bring you all NEW Christmas recipes, well in advance. I have planned everything from warm Christmas breakfasts to toothsome condiments to show-stopping mains to decadent desserts (and everything in between) for you.
I am beginning this #ChristmasRecipeSeries with today’s recipe, a lovely recipe for cranberry jam. Cranberries are associated with Thanksgiving, but you will find them all throughout winter. And, the color alone makes me associate these ruby-red berries with Christmas.
I am not a big fan of the canned gloopy cranberry jelly. Sometimes I throw together a quick cranberry sauce or a savory Indian version of it. But this year, I made cranberry jam. Delicious, beautiful, deep red jam that was super simple to make but blew me away with its depth of flavor.
The jam has orange juice added for flavor and sweetness. I decided to be naughty and thought the jam needed a little kick. So I added a hot serrano chili pepper. Yes, you heard me!
Now, there’s no need to fear. I used just one chili pepper for every 12 ounces of berries and ended up with jam that was sweet with just a bit of kick to it. Nothing that will put your tongue on fire, but just enough to pique your interest. If you are feeling adventurous, increase the number of chilies by all means. It’s your jam!
Fill the jam into cute little jars, cover the jar with Christmasy paper, ribbon or twine and gift them to your friends. Take them as hostess gifts to your neighbor’s party. They make the perfect Christmas edible gifts.
They will remember you every time they slather some on warm toast or pair it with their Christmas roast. And they will be thankful to have you in their lives.
Here’s the recipe.
- Cranberries - 12 oz
- Orange - 1 large, juiced
- Serrano chili pepper - 1, finely minced
- Sugar - 2 cups
- Cinnamon, clove or dried ginger powder - ½ tsp (optional)
- Take all the ingredients in a large, deep, thick-bottomed pan and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Let boil till the cranberries begin to pop, 4-5 minutes.
- Gently mash the berries with the back of your ladle or a clean potato masher. Keep cooking the mixture till the berries cook down and the jam begins to thicken, around 10-12 minutes (see notes for checking jam doneness).
- Once done, remove from heat immediately. Spoon jam into clean, sterilized glass jars, cool completely, cover tightly with lid and refrigerate. Jam keeps well for a couple of weeks with proper storage and use.
- To gift the jam, decorate individual jars with colorful paper or ribbon.
2. Before starting, place a couple of small plates in the freezer. To check if jam is done, place a blob of hot jam mixture on the cold plate. Cool it for a few seconds in the freezer and run a finger across it. If the mixture gels and you are able to run your finger through it without it being runny, the jam is done. Else, cook for a couple more minutes and test again.
3. You can also test using the spoon method. Dip a metal spoon into the hot jam mixture and allow it to slide off the spoon. Initially, it will fall off as individual liquid drops. When jam is done, it will slide off the spoon as one mass (or a sheet).
4. Always remember that the jam will thicken when cool. So take care not to overcook it. It takes practice and patience to tell when exactly the jam is done, but you’ll get there!
Make a batch of this cranberry pepper jam to slather on toasts, spread on roast meat or share with friends as Holiday food gifts. That should earn you some brownie points with Santa!!
Don’t forget to PIN & SAVE the recipe for later.
Do you like cranberries? Have you tried making jam with it? Try this cranberry serrano pepper jam this festive season and let me know how you like it.
I have an easy recipe coming up next using this jam. Stay tuned!
Want more Holiday recipes? Check out this page for more recipes.
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I am sharing this over at Fiesta Friday, FoodieFriDIY & Saucy Saturday.
Do you only boil with the juice of the orange?
I love cranberries and chilli and your jars are so pretty! Perfect Christmas gifts 🙂
Thank you, Petra. It is a terrific combo, do try it 🙂
This is a jam I would be proud to give as a gift. I hope to do it when I start my own preserves, which ought to be soon!
Oh, thank you, Hilda. That’s a lovely compliment 🙂
This is genius! Will be making for sure. Thank you!
Thank you. I am sure you will love the subtle kick from the peppers 🙂
Oh how wonderful, Anjana! I love how the pepper just cuts the sweet of the cranberry jam! I adore cranberries and do a lot with them around Christmas, so I will have to try out your lovely recipe this year. Thanks so much for this and I am really looking forward to the other recipes in your series! 😀
Thank you so much, Julianna! The peppers pair really well with the berries and oranges. Do give it a try 🙂
Loved it
Thank you Sonal!