Sunday, September 20, 2009

Chocolate Raspberry Jam

It's a cold rainy day, my iPhone died and I have a good burn on my right hand. All the more reason to stay home and eat chocolate!

Chocolate Jam

The original title for today's offering was, "Chocolate Raspberry Sunday Topper", which of course, you may certainly use this recipe for that purpose. However, we tweaked the original recipe, doubled the Cocoa, increased the lemon juice and added a nice chili powder (purely optional). This, my friends, leaves the original recipe in the dust. Now we have an honest to goodness, pass the spoons around, lick the jar clean, Chocolate Jam!

CHOCOLATE JAM!

Yes, I'll wait until your pulse slows down.

I know what you're thinking. You must be doing something right in order to have lived long enough to have chocolate for breakfast.

I know, it makes me happy too!

My little group of "Canning B's" (my Sept. 20 canning class) decided this would be delicious over a nice round of warm French Triple Cream Brie, with toasted brioche. I will let you decide.

Note: This recipe can be halved, and it can be put in glass jars and kept in the fridge for at least a 2-3 months if you choose NOT to can it. I promise you this, it will not last very long.

Chocolate Raspberry Jam
Makes: ( 6) 8oz. jars or (12) 4 oz. jars

1 cup sifted unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Package (1.75 oz) regular powdered fruit pectin
4 1/2 cups Crushed red Raspberries (use frozen, or freeze fresh berries for higher Juice yield)
8 Tbl Lemon Juice (you must use bottled lemon juice, they do make an organic one)
6 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2-3 Tbl ground Pasilla chili powder (optional)

1. Prepare canner, jars, lids (if you've taken my class, you KNOW how to do this!)

2. In a medium bowl combine cocoa powder and pectin, stirring until evenly blended, set aside.

3. In a large stainless saucepan ( 2- 3 quarts), over low heat , combine crushed raspberries and lemon juice, whisk in pectin/cocoa mixture until pectin is dissolved. The mixture will look “muddy”. Raise heat to medium high and bring mixture to a boil, stir frequently. Next, add sugar all at once, stir and return to a full rolling boil (you may need to raise heat to high) for one full minute, stir constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam. Add Pasilla powder at this time if using.

4. Ladle hot Jam in to hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles from the jar with a knife, and adjust head space, by adding more jam if needed. Wipe rim, center lid on jar and screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight.

5. Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water, and place lid on pot. Bring water to a boil and process for 15 minutes (for Colorado) ; 10 minutes at Sea Level. Remove lid from canner, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool 12-24 hours before moving. Label and store.

Enjoy,


Chef Deb T

chocolate jam on ice cream

Our Next Canning Classes:

Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009 10:00a -1:00p Fee: $55 p/p
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009 10:00a -1:00p Fee: $55 p/p

Space is still available:

303.817.4313

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Chef Deb!
I'm already down a jar of chocolate raspberry jam from yesterday. I was kind enough to share the first with my family, but the remainder has been carefully hidden in a remote corner of my fridge.

I had SO much fun yesterday! I can't wait for the next opportunity to get together. Hope your hand is feeling better!

Karen W.

Anonymous said...

Hi Chef Deb!

I've already polished off one jar of the chocolate raspberry jam (which I kindly shared with my family), and have safely hidden what's remaining in a remote corner of the fridge (which I will not be sharing).

I had SO much fun yesterday! I am really looking forward to the next adventure.

I hope your hand feels better!
Karen W.

Chef Deb T said...

Hi Karen,

I had so much fun too! I have to admit...I pretty much polished off the big jar of Chocolate jam..ALL BY MYSELF.. it's too good to share. We have to make more!!!

I am working on the time and date for our Canning B! I am looking forward to doing more things and just having fun with all of you!

Thanks for the post!!

Chef Deb

Tofer said...

I couldn't resist, I had to try it... yes, it makes a pretty delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich as well!!!

Chef Deb T said...

Peanut butter and Chocolate Jam.... my goodness!!! I cannot wait to try it too. Sadly I am almost out of my jar...rats!

I am using what little I have left on the bottom of a fruit tart.....

Thanks!

Chef Deb T

peevish said...

Hi Deb! The class was great fun. And it felt nice to be in a commercial kitchen again, after a long absence. I sure hope your hand is all better. Girl, since you don't have ice, you need to keep aloe vera gel in your walk-in!


I haven't tried the chocolate sauce yet. It has been patiently waiting in my fridge. Since you mentioned using it in a fruit tart, you got my mind working on that. I'm thinking pate brisee (I don't know how to make my keyboard do accents), thin layer of chocolate jam, pastry creme, and pears or strawberries. YUM! Or imagine it with a pastry creme infused with crystallized ginger!

I need to get your recipe book back to you! How can I do that? I could bring it to your house. Thank you for loaning it to me!

xo, Lisa (aka "peevish")

peevish said...

P.S. I'm so very sorry to hear about your iphone. Surely it can be fixed! I'd be bereft without mine.

Chef Deb T said...

HI Peevish!!

Thanks for the post! I used ( what little was left of my jar) at a dinner last night. I made poached pears, with a brown sugar Creme Fraiche... I thinned out the jam and used it as a sauce....

This little jam of ours, is taking on a life of its own..

Thank for the ideas... I am STILL having fun with this recipe.. I have to confess... I am barely using a spoon these days...:-)..
Can we meet today at Borders, I have to go there to look for a book.. or you can put it in my milk box in the porch..

email me and I will give you the address

Chef Deb T.
debrt@comcast.net

Chef Deb T said...

Well, I fixed it... so if yours just ever dies... and won't recharge and just mocks you by doing absolutely NOTHING... email me (as you phone won't work).. apparently, as our iPhones get older, they will do as mine did..

Thank you to the iphone guru on the internet!

D

Anonymous said...

Chef Deb - Finally I made this jam - I have had the raspberries from Shoshoni WY in my freezer for two weeks, and today I turned them into this wonderful creation. It is all I can do to keep from eating it right now! I added ancho chili powder to the last few jars and licked the pot clean.
Thanks for this! Cathy

Chef Deb T said...

Cathy,

It IS yummy isn't it? We are making a new batch this weekend, and of course, I will eat most of it on my own!

Thanks for the post Cathy and for letting me know I was on target with this one.....

Have a great day!
Chef Deb

Rose said...

Do you have any suggestion for a good substitute for the Pasilla chili powder, I haven't had any luck finding that particular type of chili powder.

Chef Deb T said...

HI Rose!

Try any of these:
*1/2 the amount of Jalapeno powder
*ancho powder
*medium chile powder
*re-hydrate, finely chopped new mexican chiles
*1/2 the amount of Chipolte adobo sauce
*Finely diced Jalapenos..softened in a bit of water and drained.

If you live any where near a Savory Spice shop or a super Target, both of those carry a variety of powdered chiles.

I hope this helps. Save a jar for me!!

Thanks for the post.

Chef Deb

Rose said...

Hi Chef Deb,
Thanks for the ideas, I several different chili powders, I just wasn't sure what would make a good substitute in this case. Now I'm on my way!

Rose said...

Hi Chef Deb,
One other question, do you use natural or dutch processed cocoa powder for this recipe?
Thanks again!

Chef Deb T said...

Rose, I use both in this recipe.

Here is a link that explains the difference:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/CocoaTypes.htm

Dutch process is less acidic, and we need acid in canning (see the lemon juice), but personally, I think the natural cocoa has a bitter finish to it.. so, I use half and half. Plus the Dutch cocoa produces a nice dark jam.

I hope this helps.
chef Deb