Kiwi jam with a hint of lime

This is my first ever batch of homemade jam! I’m so impressed with myself – feel like a domestic goddess. Making jam from scratch has always seemed a bit scary (I seem to say this a lot, I think I must be easily intimidated) – I’ve always had visions of bubbling sugar, burnt pans, and, inevitably, me with hot jam tipped all down my front (not particularly goddessy).

But I was recently sent the Ball FreshTech Jam and Jelly Maker to try out, so I figured I’d better give it a go. Turns out, this machine makes homemade jam super easy! Some may call it cheating; I call it acceptance of my own incompetence.

I actually don’t like kiwi fruit. I used to like them years ago, but I had a bad one as a kid and it put me off for life (apparently I’m also easily traumatised; it’s a wonder how I get through the day). You may think this sounds strange coming from someone who’s sharing a recipe for lime and kiwi jam, and you’d be completely right.

I’m not quite sure what possessed me to make kiwi jam given my dislike of kiwis, but I wanted to make something a bit unusual, so when I saw this recipe in the little cookbook that came with the jam maker, it grabbed me immediately.

Luckily, when you add a ton of sugar to even your least favourite fruit and turn it into jam, it becomes unbelievably delicious. Eat it straight from the jar with a spoon kind of delicious (not that I did that, of course). The hint of lime adds such a fab tanginess, and kiwi fruit actually has a really lovely flavour once you repress your childhood trauma.

The Ball jam maker made this kiwi jam really easy to make. Add your chopped fruit to the bowl with some pectin and sugar, and the machine does everything else for you! It even beeps when it’s done, so you know it’s time to put the bottle of wine down, get out of the bath, and transfer the jam into jars. The most labour-intensive part of the process was peeling all those bloomin’ kiwis. It was worth it in the end, but I think next time I might opt for raspberries or something that requires a bit less faff!

This recipe makes a really decent batch – about 4 jars. If you’re a preserving pro, you can keep it for up to a year – otherwise, just transfer it into jars and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. I am very, very much looking forward to slathering this on toast for my breakfasts over the next few weeks, or dolloping it on yogurt! Yum.

Since the lovely people at Ball are so generous, they’re offering one of you guys the chance to win your very own jam and jelly maker! Just use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter for your chance to win (UK only please, sorry international friends).
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Print Recipe

Kiwi jam with a hint of lime (and a giveaway!)

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Miscellaneous

Servings: 4 jars

Calories:

Author: Becca Heyes

Ingredients

• 1 kg kiwi fruit (around 15 kiwis)
• 3 tbsp Ball jam setting mix with pectin
• 660 g caster sugar (~ 3 cups)
• 1 tsp finely grated lime zest

Instructions

• Peel the kiwis, and chop them fairly small. Place into the Ball jam maker with the pectin, and press the 'jam' button. Allow the paddle to toss the fruit and pectin over the heat for 4 minutes. When the machine beeps, add the caster sugar and lime zest, and allow to cook for the remaining 17 minutes.
• When the jam is ready, turn the machine off and immediately transfer the jam to pre-heated jars. Seal tightly and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. Alternatively, you can freeze the jam, or preserve it to store long-term.

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose.

If you have a few kiwis left over, use them to top some summer fruit tarts: