Acerola Cherry Jam

I picked all the Acerola cherries I could about two weeks ago and let them ripen to make jam. The first step is to remove all the stems using a tooth pick and wash the cherries well. 

After I rinse them I typically weigh them. This is not necessary, but just for my curiosity. 

The next step is to squeeze each cherry and remove the seeds. There are typically 3-4 seeds in each cherry. If you wish a smoother jam, blend the pulp. It is very important to weigh the pulp. This will determine how much sugar and pectin to add. Add 45% sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of pectin per cup of pulp.

    354 grams pulp x 45% = 159 grams white granulated sugar

    354 grams pulp / 250 grams (1 cup) = 1.5 teaspoons Pectin   

Add the pulp, sugar, 100 cc of water and 1 tablespoon of vanilla to a pan and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes or until the desired thickness is reached. Wait to add the Pectin or follow the instructions on the package.

After the desire consistency is achieved, add the Pectin to a few tablespoons of water and add it to the mix and cook a little longer until it thickens. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool.

Lastly, pour the jam in a sterile jar and refrigerate. The last time I made Acerola jam I used brown sugar and the jam was brownish. It tastes fine, but color is important.