The transition from light summer frocks to fall sweaters can be disheartening. Make it easier on yourself with this ground cherry jam without pectin with hints of citrus and ginger, a perfect ode to fall.
Transitioning from light summer dresses to cozy fall sweaters can be a bit disheartening. However, I find solace in savoring the flavors that this season has to offer. One way to enjoy autumn is by making ground cherry preserves with a touch of citrus and ginger, creating a perfect harmony of fall flavors.
The Peruvian ground cherry, known as Quebec's most unusual fruit, pairs wonderfully with the boldness of ginger and the zestiness of lemon and lime. This delectable jam turns the season into a culinary celebration, allowing us to embrace the change with open arms and excited taste buds.
The Magical Fall of Montreal
I have been hearing about Montreal's fall from before I even moved here.
You would think that with all the summer excitement of festivals, drinking sangria on patios, and nights too hot for a blanket, people wouldn't be clamouring for what is basically the equivalent of a calendar layover everywhere else.
But now that October is about to begin and fall is in the air, I couldn't be more excited for the changing season. I am breathlessly anticipating the falling leaves, strong gusts of winds, and woolen socks.
But the thing that is most on my mind as the temperatures dip down is a bright, punchy jam, smeared thickly on crusty bread and eaten with a steaming cup of tea in bed, crumbs be damned.
And with Quebec's bounty of ground cherries (cerises de terre) still crowding the stalls at the farmers' markets, honouring this in-between season couldn't be easier.
What are Ground Cherries?
As a fruit lover, I frequently explore different fruits to enjoy, and one of my recent favorites is ground cherries. These small, yellow-orange fruits are enclosed in a delicate, papery husk that resembles a lantern. Ground cherries belong to the same family as tomatillos - the nightshade family - and share a similar taste, a blend of sweet and tart. They are also known as Cape gooseberries, goldenberries, or husk cherries.
Here are some key features of ground cherries:
- Scientific Name: Physalis peruviana
- Size: About the size of a cherry tomato (0.5-1 inch in diameter)
- Color: Yellow-orange when ripe
- Taste: Sweet and tart, with notes of pineapple, vanilla, and tomato
Ground cherries can be eaten raw or used in various dishes, such as salads, desserts, or sauces. They also possess numerous vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin A, and potassium. One of the delicious ways to enjoy ground cherries is by making ground cherry jam, which captures their unique flavor and can be enjoyed year-round.
Ingredients for Ground Cherry Preserves
- Ground cherries: a fruit that is similar in taste to a mix of pineapple, mango, and tomato. If ground cherries are not available, they can be substituted with a mix of pineapple, mango, and tomato.
- Sugar: a sweetener that can be substituted with honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar.
- Lemon juice and zest: a sour flavoring agent that can be substituted with lime juice or vinegar.
- Lime juice: a sour flavoring agent that can be substituted with lemon juice or vinegar.
- Ginger: a spice with a warm, slightly sweet flavor that can be substituted with ground ginger or fresh turmeric.
- Star anise: a spice with a licorice-like flavor that can be substituted with anise or fennel seed.
- Salt is a seasoning that can be substituted with any other salt or seasoning you choose.
- Jars: containers to store the final product.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Directions
Sanitize jars for canning:
If canning the jam, wash jars and place them in a hot water bath canner. Boil for 10 minutes.
Prep ground cherries:
Remove husks from ground cherries and dispose of any bruised or damaged fruit. Wash the cherries.
Grate ginger, zest and juice lemon, and juice lime. Combine lemon and lime juices.
Cook ground cherry jam:
In a heavy-bottomed pot, mix ground cherries, sugar, lemon zest, and citrus juices. Bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer on medium heat for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the jam remains very liquid, continue cooking for up to 20 minutes more.
During the last 10 minutes of cooking, add star anise and grated ginger to the pot. Once the jam has finished cooking, remove the pot from heat.
Divide jam into jars:
To jar the jam, pour it into clean, sterilized jars carefully using a ladle. Wipe the jar rims with a wet towel. If you plan to store the jam in the fridge, seal the jars, let them cool, and refrigerate. The jam can be enjoyed with cheese, charcuterie, or on toast.
Process jars for canning:
If you plan to can the jam, place the metal jar lids in hot water for a few minutes. Then, seal the jars and process them in a hot water bath canner for another 10 minutes. Finally, let the jars cool for 24 hours, listening for 'pop' sounds.
What to Pair With Ground Cherry Jam?
Ground Cherry Jam is replete with strong Asian spices that fair well against the warm, exotic flavour of the ground cherries.
I love it paired with:
- goat cheese;
- a strong blue Stilton;
- A washed rind cheese like Brie or Camembert;
- Cultured butter;
- Pork or other strong charcuterie;
- Pâté;
- Pan-seared duck, especially Asian-style;
- Cream cheese;
- Walnuts and other nuts.
Variations
Making Ground Cherry Jam with Pectin
To make ground cherry jam with pectin, follow these steps:
- Wash and prepare ground cherries by removing the husks.
- Combine ground cherries, pectin, and sugar in a large saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
- Once boiling, remove from heat and skim off any foam.
- Pour into sterilized jars and seal.
Ground Cherry Freezer Jam Recipe
To make ground cherry freezer jam, use these ingredients:
- 4 cups husked ground cherries
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 package (1.75 oz) of powdered fruit pectin
Follow the steps in the "Making Ground Cherry Jam with Pectin" section, but instead of pouring your jam into sterilized jars, let it cool and then transfer it to freezer-safe containers. Store it in the freezer until ready to use.
The texture of this jam will be more like ground cherry jelly - a lot more set and less liquid.
Ground Cherry Pineapple Jam
Ground cherry pineapple jam is made by combining equal parts ground cherries and pineapple chunks in a saucepan, along with sugar and pectin. Follow the same procedure as in the "Making Ground Cherry Jam with Pectin" section for a delicious tropical twist on your jam.
FAQs
Yes, you can substitute honey for sugar in ground cherry jam. For best results, use about ¾ cup of honey for every 1 cup of sugar in the recipe. This will provide a similar sweetness level while adding a unique flavor to your jam. Keep in mind that jam made with honey will be more loose.
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Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.
Ground cherry jam
Equipment
- Kitchen towels
- paper towels
Ingredients
- 2 lb ground cherries peeled and washed (you should have about 1.5 lbs left after removing the husks and throwing out any inedible fruit)
- 2.5 cups sugar
- 1 lemon juice and zest of
- 1 lime juice of
- 3- inch knob of ginger grated
- 2 star anise pieces
- 1 pinch salt about ½ tsp
- 2 pint-sized jars
Instructions
- If canning, thoroughly wash jars and arrange them in a hot water bath canner. Bring pot with jars to a boil, and process on a rolling boil for 10 minutes.
- Remove the husks from all of your ground cherries, throwing out any fruit with black spots or mold. Wash fruit carefully.
- Grate ginger, zest lemon, and juice both the lemon and lime. Set ginger aside, but feel free to combine the lemon and lime juices.
- Combine ground cherries, sugar, lemon zest and the citrus juice in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Bring pot to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower heat to medium and continue simmering until all the ground cherries have burst and dissolved, about 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally (your whole house will smell like a confectioner's shop). If the jam remains very liquid, continue cooking for up to 20 minutes more.
- In the last 10 minutes, add whole star anise and ground ginger to pot. Remove pot from heat.
- Very carefully (and preferably using a ladle), pour jam into clean, prepared (and sterilized, if canning) jars. Wipe the rims with a wet towel.
- If jam is to be kept in the fridge, just close the lids and let it cool down on the counter. It will thicken further in the fridge. Enjoy on crackers with (very) sharp cheddar, on baguette with goat cheese, along with a charcuterie platter, or just with peanut butter on toast.
- If canning, ladle some boiling hot water from the hot water bath canner into a small saucepan, and sink the new metal lids for the jars into it (no need to soak the rings that secure the lids). After a couple of minutes, place the metal lids on the jars and secure with the rings, using just the tips of two fingers to screw them down (i.e., don't fight to screw them on thoroughly). Lower jars back into hot water bath canner (you may need to pour out some water at this point), and process at a rolling boil for another 10 minutes. Remove jars from pot and let cool on counter for 24 hours, waiting for the all-important 'pop' sounds.
Kellie MacMillan says
Omg, I just got some ground cherries in a little care package from a friend. I certainly don't have 2 pounds but I think I know where I can get some more.
This looks awesome.
Kuddos to you and another great post.
kseniaprints says
You can make a small batch, too!
Jessie says
Finished and canned the recipe before noticing that the salt in the ingredients is not mentioned in the instructions. Hope it wasn't essential...
kseniaprints says
Nope! Not essential.
Jason Sandeman says
I am lucky in the sense that I have a whole back yard filled with these plants. I have no idea HOW they got there, probably a bird or something dropped them there. I love them though, they go on almost everything from desserts to savory dishes. Love this recipe too. I'll have to give it a try!
kseniaprints says
AMAZING - I am so, so jealous, Jason! I usually buy mine at the market at fairly exorbitant prices...
Anit says
Per kg how much we have to pay
Valerie says
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! I make it every year now. Unfortunately, this year I don't have my usual abundance of berries ( due partly to drought, partly to hungry little grandchildren who love to eat them right from the bush). I read that you can substitute with some pineapple, but my question is, does it have to be fresh pineapple, or could I use canned?
kseniaprints says
Fresh will cook better, canned gets mushy.
Elen G says
I am so going to be looking for ground cherries here. I like the way you think about having tea! 🙂
Evi @ greenevi says
This jam sounds awesome and made me so curious now, can't wait to try the recipe!
Pinned 😉
kseniaprints says
Do it! And let me know what you thought 🙂
Grace says
The ground cherry jam is the best ever! I just made a batch from the ground cherries I picked at Flying Plow CSA. The house did smell like I was a confectionary: wonderful. Thank you so much for the recipe.
kseniaprints says
It's a big favourite! I'll be making more this fall.
Jon says
We grew ground cherries for the first time this year. Just 4 plants but I think we must have collected well over 20 lbs already and they are just getting going!
So I stumbled on this recipe while looking for ways to use up a lot of these little golden pineappley nuggets, and I just made a double batch of this jam today - 3lbs of shelled ground cherries and all the other ingredients doubled-up too.
I followed the recipe exactly, except it took around 55 minutes total in the pan before it would set on the back of a cold spoon. I processed for 10 minutes in boiling water and I'm just waiting for my 7x8oz jars to seal now. Can't wait to try some with cheddar or cream cheese. The scrapings from the pan are absolutely delicious.
I'm going to make another batch and add some finely chopped thai chili peppers to spice it up a bit!
Thanks so much for posting this very awesome recipe!
Jeanne Marie says
I was worried at first that the amount of ginger would be overwhelming, but it wasn't at all. It was perfect. I made a half batch and added half a vanilla bean to the mix. Really lovely flavor. Definitely NOT flat, one note, or just syrupy. I will certainly make these again. Since I only have about 1.5 cups, I think I am going to save these to serve at the holidays.
kseniaprints says
It's one of my favorite fall jams - so glad it found a loving home with you!
Alan says
Does it set up naturally without needing pectin or other thickeners?
kseniaprints says
It does! The key is just the quantities of sugar and the length of cooking. The longer you cook, the thicker it gets.
Alan says
Does it set up naturally without needing pectin or other thickeners?
Lynn says
I made some plain ground cherry jam originally and it was just eh. Then found this and wow! I’ve made it for 2 years now and it has a permanent spot in my recipe box. I could eat a whole jar of this.
Debbie says
I have never grown these before and when I saw how many cherries it produced I had to find something to do with them. The jam tastes great but it's more like syrup than jam. Should I go back and cook again? Add pectin? I put them in 1/4 pint jam jars and processed for 10 minutes. Any suggestions?
kseniaprints says
Hi Debbie, the longer you cook the jam itself, the more it sets. The first time I made them, I cooked for about an hour and it was very solid! However, if you already sealed it in jars I am not sure that it will work to cook it longer... If you have any that you have yet to process, simply cook it longer on the stovetop.