Recipes For Sugar-free Berry Jam

Sugar-free berry jam is rich in fiber, unprocessed fat and antioxidants. There is a wide variety of recipes with different calorie content, made with natural, unrefined, unprocessed sweeteners. We will tell you about some of them!

Berry jam is an ideal addition to a diet low in carbohydrates when it does not contain sugar. Furthermore,  with a little practice and the right fruit, you will achieve a 100% healthy product. 

There are several basic methods to make a berry jam without sugar. These include:

1. To boil berries without adding thickener.
2. To use pectin or some other gelatin thickeners to cook berries.
3. To thicken boiling berries with chia seeds.

The cooking method with sugar-free berry jam

The simplest method, to make marmalade, is by boiling it. This cooking technique  works perfectly with blackberries and raspberries. Furthermore, boiling helps to release the natural pectin from fruits. When the water evaporates, the fruit achieves the classic texture of berry jam.

Instructions:

• First, place the selected fruits in a bowl and mash them lightly.
• Next, add artificial or natural sweetener, and set it over high heat for 5 minutes until it boils.
• Next, lower the temperature to medium heat, stirring constantly, and  simmer for another 15 minutes,  removing any foam that may appear.
• Eventually, the jam will be done when the bubbles get bigger and the mixture gets a creamy consistency. 

Gelatin methods

There are many who consider this to be  the best method of making strawberry jam. Among other things, this is due to the high water content and low pectin content. Likewise, you can use taste-neutral gelatin powder or leaf gelatin (also known as gelatin sheets).

Ingredients

• 250 ml of water
• 1 envelope with gelatin powder
• 260 g strawberries, cut into large pieces
• Sweetener of your choice, to taste
• 1 tsp. lemon juice

Course of action

• First, pour the water into a bowl.
• Next, pour gelatin powder into the water, and mix it well. (If you are using leaf gelatin, leave it in lukewarm water for 10 minutes before proceeding to the next step.)
• Heat the gelatin mixture in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to boil.
• Add the strawberries.
• Next, add sweetener, of your choice, along with lemon juice.
• Turn up the heat and let it cook for 3 minutes.
• Turn down the heat and let it cook for another 10 minutes.
• Remove any foam that appears on the surface.
• Finally, the strawberry jam will be done when it has a soft, creamy texture and large bubbles appear.

A method of smoothing berry jam with chia seeds

Adding chia seeds, as an ingredient in the preparation of red sugar-free berry jam, makes it possible to smooth it. It is therefore a perfect ingredient to give the classic jam consistency.

Red sugar-free berry jam (strawberries, raspberries and blackberries)

Ingredients

• 260 g berries
• The juice from an orange
• 1 tbsp. orange peel
• 1 tbsp. chia seeds
• Sweetener (optional, to taste)

Course of action

• First, get the berries in a saucepan. If you use strawberries, cut them into cubes – the smaller strawberries can be used whole.
• Next, add the orange juice, and bring it all to a boil.

• Next, turn down the heat to medium heat, and begin to fashion the berries gradually until they get the same consistency as the puree.
• Let it boil for 10 minutes and add a splash of water. It should now have a compact, soft and creamy consistency.
• Switch to low heat and add the chia seeds. The mixture will now become jelly-like and it will become gritty, a bit like sugar.
• Finally, add sweetener.
• Let it cool down and store the jam in a glass.

Alternative sweeteners for sugar-free berry jam

It is possible to find healthy alternatives to refined sugar, both natural and artificial. Many of these sugar substitutes have a high nutritional value and are potentially less harmful to our health.

You can make sugar-free berry jam, using any of the following:

• Agave syrup

• Maple syrup
• Honey
• Unpasteurized, pure honey ( add it to the jam mixture after it has cooled down so that it retains its properties)
• Coconut sugar
• Molasses
• Apple butter
• Stevia
• Raw, unrefined sugar

Sugar-free berry jam

Ingredients for sugar-free berry jam

• 215 g fresh strawberries
• 215 g fresh blackberries
• 125 ml grape must
• 2 tbsp. sweetener of your choice
• The peel of a lemon, cut into strips

Course of action

• First, put strawberries, blackberries and grape must in a bowl. Let it stand for a few hours so that the flavors are mixed together.
• Then, add sweetener, of your choice, mix it all together, and let it soak 5 more minutes until the juices are released.
• Next, add the strips of lemon peel so that it gives a fresh taste to the jam.
• Put it all in the fridge for 24 hours. 

• The next day, put the berries on a pan and cook it over medium heat for 20 minutes until it thickens.
• Finally, let it cool down and pour it into glass (previously sterilized and with a lid).
• You can use sugar, but if you do, then  raw, unrefined sugar is the healthiest choice.