I am back with a recipe I’ve found on an Italian Facebook group about local recipes.

I hardly can say this is a local thing but it’s a delicious idea indeed: it’s a dried fruit jam packed with Christmas flavours like cloves, cinnamon, star anise and, according to me, it’s a wonderful Christmas present you can gift.

It’s perfect with cheeses, you should try it with melted Camembert or, if you prefer, you can use it in Christmas sweets or plain, on a slice of buttered bread with a cup of tea.

I’m rushing to post this recipe so you can have time enough to organize and make it for THIS Christmas.

If you have some more ideas for homemade gifts check my pumpkin and cardamom jam, my eggnog liquor or my coffee liquor.

You can also check the whole summary of cookies and treats from my blog! 🙂

As you can see I got you covered! 🙂 🙂

Let’s jump to the recipe!

Print Recipe

Dried fruit Christmas jam, the best Christmas present.

Servings: 10 5 oz jars

Ingredients

1 biological orange, juice and zest
1 biological lemon, juice and zest
2 ripe apples
3 ripe pears
200 g / 7 oz. dried prunes
200 g /7 oz dried apricots
200 g /7 oz dried figs
100 g /3.5 oz raisins
100 g 73.5 oz chopped walnuts
1,5 kg / 53 oz caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick
4 star anise
12/15 cloves I don't like them and used just 10
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
2 glasses sweet wine I used a Marsala
1 glass rhum

Instructions

In a big pan put pears and apples, cored but with skin on, sliced or diced in tiny pieces.
Cover with some sugar then pour over juice from orange and lemon.
Chop in tiny pieces the dried fruits, add them to the pan except walnuts.
Add also lemon and orange zests, grated.
Add spices.
To avoid fuss to remove them from jam use a cloth sachet or a tea infuse to keep them together.
Add the rest of the sugar and the wine but not the rhum, set aside for a whole night, covered with a cloth.
Put the pan on medium fire, let the sugar melt stirring.
Cover with a lid, reduce heat, stir now and then and after 30 minutes add rhum.
Remove the lid after one hour, keep cooking for a total time of about 2 hours, 2 hours and 15 minutes.
30 minutes before the end add walnuts.
This jam thicken pretty quickly so don't overcook it.
Pour the jam, still very hot, into sterilized jars, close them with caps and let them cool upside down.
The jars should form vacuum, if not you can cover them with cold water in a pan and bring it to a boil.