For those of you who know anything about me, I adore fall. One of the many reasons I love fall is because of all the "spiced" goods (spiced chai tea, spiced pumpkin pies, you get the picture). Even though it's summer as I'm writing this, I instantly thought of spiced plum jam for the most flavorful Mirabelle plums I recieved from my aunt. She has an overabundance from her backyard Mirabelle plum tree, so when she gave me a gallon-sized bag of perfect, ripe plums, I knew I had to do something special with them. That being said, here's the recipe I adapted to make it a jam that isn't completely loaded with refined sugar, but instead I used 100% pure maple syrup.
Spiced Plum Jam
Ingredients
3 cups Mirabelle plums, pits removed
1 cup maple syrup
Juice of 2 lemons or oranges, your preference
1 tsp cinnamon
2 stars of anise
Directions
1. Put all ingredients into a medium-small sauce pan and stir until combined.
2. Bring the mixture to a light boil on medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Then reduce heat to medium-low (or low, as needed) and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and let cool for about 10-20 minutes. Remove and discard the star anise. Then transfer the jam into a small glass jar or container. Let it cool down to room temperature and then place (and store) in the fridge. Enjoy!
The basic ingredients and instructions for this recipe are from The Unconventional Baker. I adapted it to suit my needs, but I loved gathering inspiration from others who go before me and create amazing magic in the kitchen!