Blueberry Jam

I love the generosity of people! I had a client give me two big bags of organic blueberries on Saturday. The stipulation was that she wanted me to make her some jam, and I was more than happy to do that today.
I just followed a recipe inside a Certo fruit pectin box... they seem to be tested and reliable recipes. I did, however, add some berries a little later so that they would remain whole once the jam was canned. I like some berry chunks in my jam.... I don't really eat it very often... but it's a nice treat once in a while.
I found a terrific book today full of great canning ideas... so I'm really looking fore ward to all that the upcoming season has to offer as far as fruits, berries, and veggies are concerned. I can hardly wait to try to make something new and tasty!

Deconstructed Jam

O.K. so it's not really jam in the end but this was just an idea I had while I was massaging a client the other day. I thought it would be fun to put the ingredients of a jam in the jars separately to have a chunky version to use on cakes or pancakes etc.
I made a simple syrup, the same as the Lemon Poppy seed Loaf recipe, and poured it over the washed berries in sterilized jars. It couldn't be more simple, or tasty. Above shows Raspberry, Strawberry, and Cherry.

Lemon-Poppy seed Loaf

A terrific client of mine, Nancy, is participating in a charity event this weekend to raise money for the breast cancer foundation. She's selling her baked goods and giving all the proceeds to the foundation, she's great! Nancy asked if I'd like to make something for the sale... and I said of course! After tossing a few ideas around, I combined two of them to make these cakes. I made a simple syrup and put thin lemon slices in to make them soft and sugary, and put them on top of each loaf before baking.... I've also discovered that the syrup has taken on the lemon flavour and makes a great concentrate for making lemonade!

Recipe

Lemon slices in syrup

300g Sugar
125ml Water
2 Lemons(thinly sliced)

*Bring sugar and water to a boil and simmer
until sugar is dissolved
*turn off heat and add lemon slices
*let them rest 1.5 hours then refrigerate 3days


Lemon-Poppy seed Loaf

1C Butter
2 1/2C Flour
1Tbsp Baking Powder
1 1/2tsp Salt
3Tbsp Poppy seeds
1 1/2C Sugar
2Tbsp Lemon Zest
1/2tsp Lemon Extract
1/2C Sour Cream
5 Eggs
1/4C Vegetable Oil
2Tbsp Lemon Juice

*mix Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, and Poppy seeds
*beat Butter, Sugar, Lemon Zest, Lemon Extract, and Sour Cream
until light and fluffy
*add Eggs one at a time, beat in Oil and Lemon Juice, then add Flour mixture
*put batter into cake pans and set one Lemon slice on top

For the smaller cakes bake at 350 for 30 min
For Large size bake for 50-55 min

*I brushed a generous amount of the simple syrup, that the Lemons rested in, on each cake as they came out of the oven. They soaked it up really quick and gave them even more of a lemony taste.
*If you wanted, you could omit the sugared Lemon altogether and glaze each cake with a lemon and confectioners sugar glaze, and sprinkle with a few poppy seeds before it hardens.