Brazilian cherry jam is a small-batch fruit preserve made with pitanga, the tart, fragrant fruit also known as Surinam cherry. Simmering the softened fruit with sugar and lemon turns its bright flavor into a glossy jam that is lovely on toast, spooned over yogurt, or served with cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 lb fresh ripe Brazilian cherries (pitanga; 900 g), rinsed and stems removed
- 1/3 cup water (80 ml)
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar (450 g), approximately; see the note on adjusting the sugar to the fruit pulp
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (30 ml)
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (about 2 g)
- 1 small pinch fine salt (about 0.2 g)
Instructions
- Prepare the fruit. Rinse the pitanga well, remove the stems, and discard any bruised or moldy fruit. Put a small plate in the freezer; you will use it to check the jam later. Set out a heavy-bottomed saucepan, a heatproof bowl, and a food mill or sturdy fine-mesh sieve. Pitanga has a noticeable central seed, so plan to remove the seeds after softening rather than trying to chop through the fruit.
- Soften the cherries. Add the whole fruit and water to the saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the fruit has split and is very soft. If the bottom looks dry before the fruit releases juice, reduce the heat and stir; do not add extra water unless the pan is scorching, since too much liquid means a longer cooking time and a looser jam.
- Separate the pulp from the seeds. Let the fruit cool for a few minutes so it is easier to handle, then pass it through a food mill into the bowl. If using a sieve, work in batches and press the softened fruit with the back of a spoon to collect the pulp. Avoid crushing or forcing the seeds through. Measure or weigh the pulp. The fruit should give roughly 2 cups (about 450 g), though ripeness and size affect the yield.
- Set the sugar amount. Return the pulp to the clean saucepan. Add the listed 2 1/4 cups sugar, which is close to the weight of an average batch of pulp. For a more accurate balance if your pulp yield differs substantially, weigh the pulp and use about the same weight of sugar. Stir in the lemon juice, zest, and salt until the sugar is dampened and beginning to dissolve.
- Cook the jam. Bring the mixture to a steady boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom and corners of the pan. Once it boils, lower the heat enough to maintain an active, even bubbling. Cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring more often as it thickens. The mixture can spit, so use a long-handled spoon and keep your face and hands back from the pan. Do not leave it unattended near the end; sugary fruit can scorch quickly.
- Check for a set. For the temperature check, the jam should reach about 220°F (104°C) at sea level. The target changes with altitude because water boils at a lower temperature higher up; a useful guide is about 8°F (4°C) above your local boiling point. You can also put a teaspoon of jam on the frozen plate, wait 30 seconds, and push it with a fingertip. If the surface wrinkles and the jam moves slowly, it is ready. If it runs freely, cook for another 2 to 3 minutes and check again. Remember that a warm jam looks thinner than it will once chilled.
- Cool and portion. Take the pan off the heat and carefully spoon away any foam if you prefer a clearer surface. Let the jam cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to clean heatproof jars or containers, leaving a little space at the top. Cool at room temperature for about 45 minutes total from the end of cooking, then cover and refrigerate. This is a refrigerator jam, not a shelf-stable preserve.
Tips
- Choose ripe, sound fruit. Ripe pitanga should smell fruity and yield slightly when pressed, without being mushy or leaking. Its color varies by variety, so color alone is not a reliable ripeness test. Unripe fruit can make the jam sharper and less fragrant.
- Balance the sugar to the pulp. The stated amount suits roughly 2 cups of pulp. If your food mill leaves you with much less or more, weighing the pulp and using a similar weight of sugar gives a dependable starting point. Sugar contributes sweetness, body, and the jam’s set; cutting it substantially can leave the result thin and more perishable.
- Use the plate test as well as the thermometer. Fruit naturally varies in water and pectin, and the thermometer reading is affected by altitude. A small chilled-plate sample gives a practical second check. If the jam is a little soft after chilling, it is still delicious as a sauce or topping; avoid trying to correct it by boiling a cold batch for a long time.
- Keep seeds out and stir attentively. The seeds are firm and detract from the texture, so use a food mill or sieve rather than blending the softened fruit. As the jam thickens, stir continuously or nearly continuously, especially across the bottom of the pan, to prevent sticking and scorching.
Serving Suggestions
Spread the chilled jam on buttered toast, warm biscuits, pancakes, or a slice of plain cake. Its sweet-tart flavor also works well with unsweetened Greek-style yogurt, oatmeal, or a bowl of fresh fruit. Start with a spoonful and add more to taste, since pitanga can be pleasantly tangy even after cooking.
For a simple cheese-board pairing, serve it in a small bowl beside a mild, creamy cheese or a firm, salty cheese and plain crackers. It can also be brushed over a baked tart after the fruit comes out of the oven, or warmed gently and spooned over vanilla ice cream. If you want a thinner topping, stir a teaspoon of warm water into a small portion rather than loosening the whole batch.
Variations
Use a different citrus note: Replace the lemon zest with 1 teaspoon (about 2 g) of finely grated orange zest. Keep the lemon juice, which provides a bright counterpoint to the fruit and helps balance its sweetness. Orange makes the aroma rounder and less sharp.
Add warm spice: Simmer the pulp with one small cinnamon stick, then remove it before transferring the jam. A small pinch of ground ginger is another option. Use a light hand so the spice supports the floral, tangy fruit instead of covering it.
Make it less sweet at the table: Rather than reducing the sugar in the whole batch, serve the jam alongside plain yogurt or a savory cheese. If you want to use commercial pectin to make a lower-sugar version, follow the package directions for the specific pectin and fruit quantity; ordinary pectin and low-sugar pectin are not interchangeable in exact amounts.
Try another fruit when pitanga is unavailable: Tart cherries can work as a substitute, but they are not Brazilian cherries and have a different flavor and flesh-to-seed ratio. Pitanga is sometimes sold as Surinam cherry in specialty markets. If neither is available, use a similarly tart berry or cherry and expect a different color, fragrance, and setting time.
Storage and Reheating
Transfer the jam to clean containers, cover, and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking. Keep it refrigerated and use it within about 2 weeks for best quality; always use a clean spoon to serve it, and discard the batch if you see mold, notice fermentation, or detect an unusual smell. This recipe has not been formulated or processed for room-temperature storage, so do not store the jars in a pantry or treat them as shelf-stable canned preserves.
For longer storage, freeze the cooled jam in freezer-safe containers, leaving about 1/2 inch (1 cm) of headspace for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months for best quality, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator and use within about 2 weeks. The texture may soften slightly after freezing, which is usually unnoticeable when the jam is spread on toast or stirred into yogurt.
Jam does not need reheating. If you would like it pourable for a topping, spoon only the amount you need into a small saucepan and warm it over low heat for a few minutes, stirring. You can also microwave a serving in a microwave-safe bowl in short 10-second bursts, stirring between bursts. Avoid heating the storage jar or repeatedly warming and cooling the full batch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Brazilian cherries the same as regular cherries?
No. Brazilian cherry is a common name for pitanga, also called Surinam cherry. It is a small tropical fruit native to South America, including Brazil, and is botanically different from the familiar sweet and sour cherries. Its flavor is tangy and aromatic, and its shape often has distinct ribs. The names and fruit varieties used can differ by region.
Can I make this jam with frozen pitanga?
Yes. Thaw frozen fruit in the refrigerator and include any juice released in the pan. Frozen fruit may soften faster, so begin checking it after about 6 minutes of simmering. The final pulp amount can differ from fresh fruit, so measure or weigh it before adding the sugar and adjust the sugar in proportion if needed.
Do I have to remove the seeds?
For a smooth, spreadable jam, yes. The seeds are firm and are not pleasant to bite into. Softening the fruit first makes it easier to separate the pulp with a food mill or sieve. Do not put whole fruit in a blender and assume the seeds will disappear; blending can break them up and make the texture gritty.
Why did my jam not thicken?
It may need more cooking, or the fruit may have had more water or less natural pectin than expected. Chill a small spoonful before judging the texture, since warm jam is naturally runny. If it remains loose, return it to a saucepan and simmer it briefly, checking the plate test every couple of minutes. A soft batch is still useful as a syrup for yogurt, pancakes, or ice cream.
Can I reduce the sugar or use a sugar substitute?
Reducing the sugar changes more than sweetness: it can affect thickness, flavor balance, and how well the jam keeps. This recipe relies on sugar and fruit rather than a measured amount of added pectin, so a direct swap may produce a loose result. For a reliably lower-sugar set, use a pectin product specifically labeled for low-sugar preserves and follow its directions for the fruit amount.
Can I preserve these jars at room temperature?
No. This recipe is intended for refrigeration or freezing and does not provide tested home-canning instructions. Keep the finished jam chilled, or freeze it for longer storage. A lid sealing on a jar by itself does not make this refrigerator jam safe for pantry storage.
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