Recipe by Liz Sempervive, Executive Chef of the Millstone Café
Image
Ingredients:
| 8 cups | Mixed Berries (stems removed, rinsed and drained) |
| 5 cups | White Sugar |
| 2 | Lemons (zest and juice) |
| 2 tsp | Kosher Salt |
| 2 Tbs | Tapioca Pearls |
Directions:
- Start by gently rinsing all the berries. For best freshness, don’t rinse berries until you are ready to eat them! They’ll keep longer if you do this. Lay the berries out on a tray or large plate with a towel underneath to catch any excess liquid.
- Measure out all the ingredients in a large pot. Put the pot of berries and other ingredients on the stove on medium-high heat. As the berries start to bubble and release their juices, stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate all the flavors together. Using your spoon, mash down some of the berries to create a nice texture (I like to leave some berries whole). Stir often to prevent sticking.
- Once the berries start to simmer, reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes. During this time, place a few metal spoons in the freezer—you can use these spoons to test how set the jam has become. The frozen metal spoons will also cool the jam down when you taste it. You don’t want to burn your tongue on molten hot sugar!
- Once you’ve let your jam simmer and tasted it with a frozen spoon, you can decide if you want it thicker and cook it longer. It should not be runny, but it also shouldn’t be too stiff. If the jam still is not set, let it go for 15 more minutes and taste again with a frozen spoon. If you decide it is done, turn the heat off and let cool on the stove before you pack it up in containers. It will keep in the fridge for at least two weeks and up to one month.
Liz Sempervive is the Executive Chef of the Millstone Café and Catering at the Brandywine River Museum of Art. She hopes to bring nourishment to everyone through her scratch cooking, classic dishes and rustic cuisine. Chef Liz is passionate about food accessibility and supporting our local food systems. She believes that collective healing begins with sharing a meal between friends. Her accomplishments include being awarded "Best New Chef, 2019" in Main Line Today magazine and participating as a contestant on Food Network’s Chopped.