I’ve already posted a blueberry jam here a while back, but this recipe, adapted from Blue Ribbon Preserves, is also worth your time. And if you like picking your own berries, this is a great way to showcase the result of your efforts. (I picked mine at Fishkill Farms last summer.)
Although I’m usually against the American obsession of putting cinnamon in nearly every dessert, the spice happens to pair very well with blueberries, as long as the dosage remains very subtle: you should barely be able to taste that something’s been added.
The same applies to the amount of vodka. We’re not making blueberry liqueur; the goal is just to make the end result taste more complex, without being able to taste the alcohol.
The exact amount of cinnamon that you choose to use might depend on what you plan to eat the preserves with. Cheesecake, for example, is so rich that it will mask some of the spice flavor, so you might want to add a liiiiittle bit more. Otherwise, I would stick to the proportions below.
Blueberry Preserves
Yields about 1 pint
10 oz (about 2 1/2 cups) blueberries
0.8 oz water
4 g powdered apple pectin
8 oz sugar
0.4 oz butter
0.4 oz vodka
0.4 g (slightly over 1/16 tsp) ground cinnamon
- Stem and rinse the blueberries. Heat with the water in a saucepan over medium heat for a couple minutes. Sprinkle the pectin and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the sugar, stir, then bring back to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Mix in the butter, vodka, and cinnamon, and remove from the heat. Let cool for 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a sterilized pint jar, seal and process in a 200 F water bath for 15 minutes.
- Let cool for 30 minutes, refrigerate upside-down for 30 minutes, and flip.
