Easy French Apple Jam Recipe

This unique small batch Easy French Apple Jam Recipe is simplr to make, has a gorgeous golden color, a fresh apple flavor, a chunky texture, and a surprise hint of spice from the cardamom.

This fabulous jam is worlds away from apple pie filling, although you could certainly use it to bake with.  It’s so delicious and versatile that I’m surprised you don’t see it more often.  This is a small batch, with just a handful of apples, and the quick process won’t overwhelm your kitchen or take all afternoon.  I got two big pints of it, and we’ve been spreading it on toast all week.  If you want a real treat, get yourselves some warm croissants to go with it.  I’m already dreaming up ways to bake it into something fabulous…

There are so many apples available right now, and you can really use any variety you like.  I mixed Granny Smith and Honeycrisp.  If you have local apples, all the better.  But be aware that other varieties may behave differently when cooked.   Mine retained their shape and color well, and they’re pretty commonly available in stores.

TIP: All apples have a lot of natural pectin, which  helps to thicken the jam as it cooks.  I used a little powdered pectin as insurance, but you can leave that out if you don’t have any, you may just have to boil the jam a little longer.  Don’t skip the lemon juice, though, because that helps prevent the apples from turning brown.

Rather than go with the obvious choice of cinnamon to spice up this jam, I used cardamom pods, lightly crushed to release their little black seeds.  The result is subtle and keeps the flavor from reading as ‘apple pie’.  I love warm flavor of cardamom, it’s ‘different’ without being overpowering.  I love it so much I even have a PINTEREST BOARD devoted to it!  If you want to use a mix of fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and clove, that would be nice, too, just don’t overdo it.

TIP: If you don’t want the texture of  the whole pods in your jam, use just the little black seeds.

The French have a more easygoing attitude toward jam making than Americans do.  They don’t fuss with canning baths and tongs, and they don’t worry as much about the dangers of spoilage.  They have learned a simple process from centuries of jam making.  This particular recipe makes a small batch, meant to be consumed within a month or so, but if you wanted to make more, you can follow the French method that I outline in this post.

TIP: To can using the traditional method, ladle the jam into sterilized jars and process using the hot water bath method for 10 minutes.  You can also freeze the jam, just make sure to leave a little room at the top of each jar for expansion in the freezer.

Homemade jams and jellies make great “from my kitchen” gifts during the holidays!  If you love apple preserves, be sure to check out my ONE HOUR NO SUGAR APPLE BUTTER, and my CRANBERRY APPLE BUTTER.  But I’ve made jam, jelly, or butter out of just about every fruit out there, so check out my whole collection ~

Make it your own ~

• To can this jam you can follow the instructions from the Ball® website: Ladle hot jam into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.  Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat and remove cover. Let jars cool 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner, do not retighten bands if loose. Cool 12 hours. Check seals. Label and store jars.
• Add a few cranberries for a fresh flavor, or mix the apples with pears.
• Double or triple the cardamom for a delicious spread to serve with cheese and crackers.

don’t forget to pin this unique French Apple Jam!

For more apple inspiration, visit my collection of apple recipes here ~