Vanilla Blueberry ‘Cheat’ Jam

Dan    Recipes, Something Sweet, Vegan     berries, breakfast, jam, no pectin, quick and easy, vegan

What you’ll need…

1 pint fresh blueberries (approx. 2 cups)

1/2 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)

1/2 cup apple juice

1 1/2 TSP vanilla extract

2 TBSP corn starch

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This is going to be easier than, well, I don’t know…most things in life? The reason I’ll call it ‘cheat’ jam, for lack of a better term, is the fact that there is no pectin, nor jarring required. Not that I’m knocking preserving at all. I just think it’s best left to the autumn months. Not to mention, it makes a superb grandson-grandmother bonding activity.

Super simple. Combine the first four ingredients in a small pot. Stir a few times to combine, and bring to a simmer on medium-high heat. Now, reduce to medium heat and let the mixture bubble away for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. After this time, the berries will have broken down and the sauce should have a nice blue colour to it (we are using blueberries after all…).

Now, to thicken things up a bit…In a small bowl, whisk together 2 TBSP of corn starch and a 1/4 cup of water. Pour into the pot, stirring until the combo has been completely absorbed into the mix. Within about a minute, the sauce should thicken up considerably. If it’s still a bit runny, just add a bit more corn starch/water to the equation. Problem solved.

Remove the pot from heat and let cool. Transfer to an air-tight container and into the fridge. This ‘cheat’ jam will last up to two weeks. Keep ‘er covered.

Now, shall we toast to the jam?

Yields 2 1/2 cups of jam

Total cook time…20 min

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