Mulberry jam: 9 recipes

The mulberry family includes 17 species that are completely different in appearance, but numbered by botanists in one section. Bread, cow and rubber tree are relatives of mulberry, an ancient and mysterious plant. She was known in biblical times, attributed to her miraculous properties, assuring that the fruits are able to restore youth. Leaves serve as food for silkworms, giving threads for making silk, and berries are appreciated in cooking, cosmetology, and folk medicine. They are not stored fresh, but as a filling for pies, jam and preserves, they are simply magnificent.

"Tsar Berry"

Mulberry trees are common in Central Asia, China, the Kuban, in the central and southern regions of Russia, North America. The main species are black and white mulberry. They have approximately the same composition of berries, differences in fruit color and level of frost resistance.

An interesting feature of the plant is that the time of intensive formation of the trunk and crown falls in the first years of life. Having reached 10-15 m, it almost stops growing, surviving to 200-400 years. The yield of one adult tree is up to 100 kg.

In eastern countries, in the courtyard of a new house, it is customary to plant a young tree as a family amulet, a guarantee of long life in a large and friendly family consisting of several generations.

The name "king berry" came from the East. In China, it is dried and must be included in the diet of older people to maintain physical strength and clarity of thinking.

Composition and calorie content

The secret of the powerful effect of mulberry fruits on the body lies in their unique composition. If you start the listing, you get most of the alphabet:

• vitamins A, C, E, PP, K, group B;
• starch;
• Omega-6 fatty acids;
• phylloquinone;
• retinol;
• thiamine;
• biotin;
• alimentary fiber;
• ash;
• organic acids;
• phosphorus;
• magnesium;
• calcium;
• zinc;
• potassium;
• silicon;
• iodine;
• cobalt;
• molybdenum;
• nickel;
• fluorine;
• zirconium;
• alkaloids;
• mono- and disaccharides.

The calorie content of 100 g of fresh berries is 52 kcal. When drying or in jam, the indicator increases 5-6 times.

The healing properties of fresh berries

Whole fruits and juice are equally used. They relieve constipation, stabilize digestion, accelerate the removal of toxins, and regulate the water-electrolyte balance. With constant use during the season, berries help:

• renew blood composition;
• increase visual acuity;
• reduce the intensity of inflammatory processes;
• cleanse the liver of toxins and start the process of cell regeneration;
• improve digestion;
• stimulate metabolism;
• accelerate weight loss;
• strengthen the heart muscle;
• reduce the risk of blood clots.

For women

During the period of hormonal breakdowns that are characteristic of pregnancy and menopause, mulberry stabilizes the emotional state, relieves anxiety, normalizes sleep, removes swelling and improves the digestive process. It supplies the female body with B vitamins that support the excellent condition of the skin, hair and nails.

In old age, berries reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, atherosclerosis, maintain bone density.

For men

Mulberry is especially useful for problems in the genital area. It minimizes complications after mumps and scarlet fever, strengthens the immune system. Fresh juice perfectly restores strength after physical and mental stress, increases stamina and resistance to viruses during seasonal epidemics. Juice and fresh fruits are recommended for a genetic predisposition to cancer.

It is worth considering: to protect and strengthen the cardiovascular system, it is better to choose dark varieties, for the nervous - light.

What is useful mulberry jam

Berries have many interesting properties. During heat treatment, vitamins of group B are subjected to the most severe cleavage, the remaining components are preserved almost unchanged. Jam has a lower intensity of action compared to fresh fruits. Nevertheless, it is able to remove the threat of vitamin deficiency, improve blood composition, remove excess fluid from the body, and stimulate intestinal function. Regular consumption of mulberry leaves preserves joint elasticity and reduces the risk of forming cholesterol plaques.

The high content of antioxidants slows down aging, and triggers accelerated regeneration at the cellular level.

How and when to collect mulberry jam

The peculiarity of the berries is that they are very tender. Unripe fruits for the preparation of goodies will not work, and ripe ones are easily choked with fingers. At the same time, the fermentation process quickly begins in them, so you need to prepare in advance and start making jam on the day of harvest.

Fruits ripen unevenly, start harvesting in July and end in August, returning to a tree with a basket about once every 2 weeks. To remove small berries from the branches manually is a thankless task. For more effective work, there are several methods and devices. The simplest is used when the bulk of the berries has ripened. To do this, a tarpaulin, dense fabric or film is spread under the crown, and then the branches simply shake vigorously. With this option, you need to be mentally prepared for a large amount of work on harvesting fruits. The most ripe and juicy are selected for jam and juice, the smaller ones are used for drying and freezing. Those that are almost oversized or choked on impact on the ground are intended for tincture, liquor or as the basis for moonshine mash.

You can build a pendant made of cloth and attach it to the branch on which the most ripe berries are, and then also shake them in the resulting hammock.

Important: Harvesting along roads and within the city is not recommended. Mulberry quickly absorbs emissions and harmful emissions.

How to cook mulberry jam: recipes

Fragrant and beautiful delicacy will become one of the most beloved, especially since the mulberry crops are plentiful, and the cost of such a dessert is purely symbolic, where the main expenses are for sugar. You can cook according to a traditional recipe and with additional ingredients. It must be remembered that the taste of berries is not combined with all products and it is better to experiment with small portions. Well, if the result is beyond praise, then you can repeat "encore", increasing the dosage.

Classic

Prepared in 2 versions: preserving the integrity of the berries and in the form of jam. The ratio of berries and sugar is 1: 1, citric acid is necessarily added to the main composition, otherwise the finished product turns out to be freshish. For 2 kg of mass, you need 1/2 tsp. or freshly squeezed juice 1/4 lemon.

The berries are sorted, the stalks are removed and sprinkled with sugar. It takes 4–5 hours to extract the juice. Boil in one approach for 30 minutes, readiness is checked by drop of syrup on a saucer. Citric acid is added 5 minutes before the end of cooking.

Silk cherry

You will need 2 kg of mulberry and cherry per 3 kg of sugar.Bones are preliminarily removed from the cherry, the mixture of berries is covered with sugar and left overnight. Cook for 40 minutes over low heat with constant stirring. In a hot form they roll up into cans, leave under warming for a day.

Tricky raspberry

The spicy sourness and aroma of raspberries perfectly complement the sweetness of the mulberry. The secret to making dessert is in very short boiling periods. The proportions are classic, after the juice is separated, the mixture is put on medium heat, from the moment of boiling it is kept for 5 minutes and immediately removed from the stove. The next heating is carried out only after complete cooling of the mass. It is necessary to do 3 approaches, with the last boiling mass is Packed in jars and tightly closed.

Mulberry-currant jam

Ingredients:

• mulberry - 1 kg;
• currants - 500 gr;
• sugar - 1.2 kg.

The cooking method is classic - with an extract for juice and a single boil for 3–40 minutes. A very elegant option is obtained with contrasting combinations of white mulberry with red currant or black mulberry with yellow varieties.

Citrus shine

A magnificent combination gives a straightforwardly sweet taste of mulberry and sourness of fragrant orange. The color is sunny golden, if you take a white mulberry. An equal number of berries and granulated sugar will need 2 large citrus fruits. In the cooking process, it is important to observe the phasing.

1. The berries are covered with a glass of sugar and set aside for 4-5 hours.
2. The citrus fruits are boiled for 5 minutes in boiling water, then peeled, pitted, films removed and crushed in a blender or squeezed juice from the pulp.
3. Boil the mulberry tree for 5 minutes, add another glass of granulated sugar.
4. After the next five minutes, lay the remaining sugar and orange pulp.
5. The cooking time is 7 minutes.

Dessert is laid out in small containers of capacity, closed with plastic lids. The delicacy is stored in a cool, dry place.

Mulberry tree with strawberries

In this combination, mulberry gives color, and strawberries give aroma and taste. The delicacy goes well with cottage cheese and ice cream, it is part of fruit cocktails and pastries.

You will need 700 g of berries and 1 kg of sugar. If the fruits are dry, then add a glass of water. First, boil the syrup, pour the berries into it and bring to a boil, after which the pan is immediately removed from the stove for 12 hours. At the next heating, 1/2 tsp was added to the mixture. citric acid, kept on low heat for 15 minutes and immediately poured into cans. Due to the rapid boiling, the berries will remain relatively intact. Dessert is cleaned in a cool corridor or in the cellar.

Raw jam

Mulberry is not stored fresh without processing. In combination with sugar, the process of natural conservation occurs. For this, 1 kg of berries will need 1.5 kg of granulated sugar. Fruits do not need to be washed if they are collected from branches. Excess liquid in the mixture is not welcome. If there are doubts about cleanliness, then after washing they are allowed to drain and scattered on a cloth to completely dry. Otherwise, there is a risk of getting a fermented product instead of a vitamin mixture.

Mulberries are ground in a blender or ground with sugar in a ceramic bowl. It is advisable to completely eliminate contact with metal utensils. Then the mass is laid out in dry sterilized cans and stored only in the refrigerator. The mixture retains all the vitamins and unique properties of the berries.

Sugar-free mulberry

With diabetes or during the implementation of a weight correction program, extra calories and sweetness are not needed. There are enough fruit sugars in the berries, which make it possible to prepare without a single gram of sweetener.

The process is simple but time-consuming. Put the mulberry tree in small jars, leaving a little empty space up to the neck, and put the container in a water bath. When the mass settles, add another portion of fresh berries. Just take 60 minutes. The last fruits are laid 20 minutes before readiness.To preserve the product requires tight sealing and storage in a cool dark place.

Jam

A delicious dessert, an addition to ice cream and sweets based on cottage cheese, impregnation for sponge cakes and just a delicious treat - jam does not require high culinary skills. It only takes time and patience.

The berries are washed, remove water and rubbed through a sieve. The pulp and juice are mixed with an equal amount of sugar and put on low heat in a pan with a thick bottom. The mass is boiled for 20 minutes with constant stirring with a wooden spatula. Then add 1 g of citric acid and boil the mixture until the desired density. Store at room temperature. Disadvantage - very quickly eaten by households.

Interesting facts about Mulberry

Mulberry trees grow in many countries and are everywhere respected with respect. Mulberry has interesting properties, while the facts apply not only to the fruit, but also to the rest of the tree.

1. Musical instruments with flying gentle sound are made from wood.
2. In folk medicine, bark, twigs, leaves, fruits are used.
3. Hands and face stained with the fruits of the dark mulberry are easily washed with white sorts of juice.
4. In Transcaucasia, they prepare mulberry vodka, the fortress of which reaches 70–80 degrees.
5. The yield of 1 tree reaches 100 kg.
6. The oldest mulberry trees are 400 years old.
7. Mulberries are used to create green spaces in the cities of central and southern regions.
8. Cyprus hosts an annual festival dedicated to mulberry and silkworm.
9. The first mulberry trees appeared in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century.
10. Berries have a powerful anti-aging effect.

The mulberry jam will retain a piece of summer and give strength and good mood to those who did not spare the time and effort to prepare it.

Photo of mulberry jam