F.F.F - Golden Cherry and Ginger Jam (con't)

Today, I finish the Golden Cherry Tomato and Ginger jam I started on Friday.  If you missed the first part of this Fun Food Friday which has turned into a weekend edition, you can find it here.

We left off with a bowl of sugary cherry tomatoes resting overnight in the fridge.  The first stop in taking this sugary oddity to Yummyville, is putting it in a big pot.  Next, add matchsticks of ginger, lemon zest, and lemon juice.  I won't deny that I tasted the concoction at this point and had to fight the urge to add water to  make Cherry Tomato and Ginger Lemonade.  I will try that in the future.

With everything in the pot, it cooks until thickened.  Then goes into canning jars and is processed in a caning bath.  If you want complete directions, you can find them here:

Golden Cherry Tomato and Ginger Jam from The Joy Kitchen. 

The Verdict

Overall, this is yummy stuff and while it is really sweet, the ginger gives a nice peppery kick.  I cooked mine a bit too long, so it is thicker than I'd like, but still spreadable.  I wouldn't really call this a jam.  To me it has more of a marmalade texture especially with the ginger matchsticks and cherry tomato skins.  

Tweaks for Next Time

•  Use less sugar and add pectin.  Like any jam that relies on sugar alone, this stuff is super sweet, so I want to try adding pectin and reducing the sugar content like you would with a strawberry jam.  
• Grate the ginger and coarsely chop the tomatoes.  The skins on my Sungold Tomatoes are pretty tough, and I think this would help the texture.  
• Wait until the last moment to add the lemon zest.  I think it looses it's vibrancy during the long cooking process necessary to make jam.

Do you have a favorite recipe or Fun Food you'd like to share?  Drop me a line in the comments and you might see it here on a future Fun Food Friday.