Pears ~ Carrot Cake Jam

Pears are about ready to be picked.  Hubby brought in 5 or 6 and some were hard as a rock, so we have time yet to pick them.  Thank goodness.

Two of them were ripe however, so I used one to can carrot cake jam for the first time.  Using our homegrown carrots, a home grown pear, and a few purchased ingredients.  I used this recipe:  Carrot Cake Jam.

It uses the same amount of sugar that most recipes online require, but a mix of white granulated and brown sugar.  I have wanted to try this recipe for years, but put it off.  We didn't get any carrots last year either.  I can't remember why, but we didn't get beets or carrots.  

Anyway....

The jam was made and we tasted it last night.  Oh my!  We tried it on a cracker with cream cheese.  It tastes just like carrot cake.  YUM!!

The first dig of carrots brought in just shy of 10#.  Most went into the freezer.  To freeze, I peel, slice and place into this metal basket (a recycled deep fryer type basket).  I bring a pot of water to boil, lower the metal basket of veggies into the hot water for 2 minutes.  I then remove, and lower the basket (you can simply drop the carrots into the hot water and scoop out with a strainer too) into a large bowl of water and ice for 2 minutes.  I drain them, and freeze them.  

 I used 2 cups shredded for the jam.  There are a few small stragglers that are in the fridge for snacking and whatnot.  I'm so glad I didn't dig the entire row in one day (exhausted from this dig alone).

Until the next dig...