Recipe: Microwave Jam from Sunset Cookbook

The article and recipe are long, covering two pages. Since you are already familiar with this technique, I have condensed the text here:

MICROWAVE JAM from the Sunset Microwave Cook Book (1981)

There is danger of boil-over unless you use a generously oversized container. Our favorite is a 2-quart (8-cup) glass measure. An alternative is to use a 2-1/2 or 3-quart ceramic or glass casserole or souffle dish.

Choose ripe fruits at the peak of their maturity.

Even cooking depends on the fruit's being uniformly chopped, and...chopping by hand produced the greatest uniformity.

Refrigerated, these jams will keep well for several months; freeze them for longer storage. You can also put up these jams in traditional canning jars. However you plan to store the jam, you'll need to sterilize the jars. Do this on the range--the microwave can't provide the constant high heat necessary for this, nor can it melt the paraffin used for sealing some kinds of jars.

Don't attempt to double the recipe or alter the 2-cup quantity in any way--the relationships of quantity, timing, and container are crucial and have been worked out with precision. You can prepare fruit and mix it with sugar and flavoring according to e recipes that follow, and then freeze it. Later, thaw a portion and complete the recipe for fresh fruit jam at any time of year.

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Diced or crushed fruit and flavorings (recipes follow)
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. butter or margarine

Prepare fruit and flavoring and place in a 2-quart glass measure or 2-1/2 to 3-quart casserole. Add sugar and butter, stir thoroughly.

Cover with wax paper. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for about 6 minutes or until mixture comes to a boil. Remove wax paper and stir fruit mixture. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH (100%) for time indicated on chart below.

Jam will set to good consistency if it begins to coat a metal spoon. Test by dripping fruit mixture from side of spoon; droplets should be thick. Or put 1 Tbl. of the mixture into a custard cup after minimum time; place in freezer for 5 to 7 minutes or in refrigerator for 15 minutes; test consistency. If it's not thick enough, reheat to boiling, then microwave, uncovered, on HIGH (100%) for 2 more minutes; test consistency again.

Pour into hot sterilized jars, filling each 2/3 full. Cool, cover with a lid, and refrigerate or freeze. Makes about 2 cups.

APPLE: 4 apples (Gravenstein, Jonathan, McIntosh, or Newtown Pippin), 2 cups. 1 Tbl. lemon juice and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon. 5-7 minutes

APRICOT: 1 pound, 2 cups. 2 Tbl. lemon juice. 10-12 minutes

APRICOT & PINEAPPLE: 3/4 lb. apricots, 1-1/2 cups. 1/2 cup canned unsweetened crushed pineapple. 1 Tbl. lemon juice. 13-15 minutes

BERRY: Crush about 3 cups raspberries, blackberries, boysenberries, or olallieberries; or use a combination of half raspberries and half of any of the black berries. You should have 2 cups. 1 Tbl. lemon juice. 13-15 minutes.

BLUEBERRY: Slightly crush about 3 cups blueberries to make 2 cups. 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel, 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon. 9-11 minutes.

CHERRY (sweet varieties): 1 lb., 2 cups halved. 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel, and a 2-inch cinnamon stick (or 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon). Remove cinnamon stick after cooking. 9-11 minutes

SPICED FIG & ORANGE: 8-10 figs, 1-1/2 cups. 1/2 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped orange. (2 cups total) 1-1/2 tsp. grated orange peel, 3 Tbl. lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp. each ground ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. 13-15 minutes

PEACH OR NECTARINE: 1 lb., 2 cups. 1 Tbl. lemon juice. If desired, stir in 2 drops almond extract after cooking. 13-15 minutes

PEACH & PLUM: 1/2 lb., 3/4 cup of each fruit. 1/2 cup seeded and finely chopped orange, including peel. 13-15 minutes

PLUM: 1 lb., 2 cups. 1 Tbl. lemon juice. 9-11 minutes

PURPLE PLUM & ORANGE: 1 lb. purple prune plums, 1-1/2 cups. 1/2 cup peeled, seeded, and finely chopped orange. 2 tsp. grated orange peel, 1 Tbl. lemon juice, and 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon. (For a bittersweet flavor, substitute 1/2 cup unpeeled, finely chopped orange for the peeled orange and omit grated peel.) 9-11 minutes.

STRAWBERRY: 3-1/2 cups, 2 cups crushed. 1-1/2 Tbl. lemon juice. 15-20 minutes.

*fini*