Cooking Therapy

Jams, jellies, and preserves are delicious, but they taste even better when you make them yourself especially since you can create any combination you choose. For this, I decided to use two of my favorite fruits and add lavender to enhance the flavor and take something ordinary and make just a bit extraordinary.

Strawberry-Blueberry Preserves with Lavender

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Wait 1 day d

Total Time 1 day d 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4 cups

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 2 pounds strawberries cut in half and hulled
• 1 small package of blueberries
• 2 cups organic, unrefined, granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon lavender flowers
• 1 cap full of vanilla extract
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• Lemon zest

Method

 

1. Add the strawberries and blueberries into a pot and heat over a low heat
2. Add the lemon juice into the pot and stir
3. Mix in the sugar, one cup at a time, and stir until it is dissolved
4. Crush the lavender in your hands and add it to the cooking mixture, stirring it in
5. Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often to avoid burning
6. Using a wooden spoon or ladle, softly press down and smash the fruit
7. Scrape off any foam bubbling on top of the mixture
8. Add the vanilla and stir
9. Boil and stir until the mixture reaches a temperature of 220 degrees F, or, another way to check if it is ready, using a spoon spread a thin line of the preserves across a cold surface, if it jellies then it is ready
10. Sterilize the jars you are going to be adding the preserves to by cleaning them with boiling hot water, thus also heating the jars
11. Using a large stock pot, add hot water and bring to a boil
12. Transfer the mixture to the warm jars, leaving ¼ inch from the top, and seal them tight
13. Using tongs, transfer them into the stockpot with boiling water and make sure they are covered
14. Process in the boiling water for about 5-10 minutes
15. Let them cool for about 24 hours in a cool dark place and seal. Check the seal by pressing down on the lid and making sure it does not pop up
16. Store in a cool dark place
17. Serve on toast or use as an ice cream or cheesecake topping