Recipes for delicious and healthy walnut jam

Properties and cooking features

Walnuts contain a large amount of amino acids, vitamins (A, C, E, K, PP, F, and B vitamins), and minerals. They also contain calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, and iodine. Unripe walnuts contain more vitamin C than citrus fruits. However, unripe walnuts can be both beneficial and harmful. Iodine-rich fruits are contraindicated for those prone to allergic reactions or those with excess iodine.

Milk nut jam tastes like a delicate honey nectar with a light nutty aroma. This delicacy is recommended for those with weakened immune function and low resistance to colds and viruses, as well as for those with digestive, cardiovascular, nervous, and reproductive system problems.

Milk nuts, which are covered with a thin white film, are very bitter. For this reason, the fruits need to be soaked in a lime solution, which removes the bitterness.

Video: "Medicinal Jam from Young Walnuts"

This video will show you how to make a nutritious and healthy exotic dessert at home.

Recipes

Nut jam, considered by many to be an exotic and difficult-to-make dish, impresses with its unique taste, rich aromas, and interesting appearance. Let's look at a few simple recipes for preparing this delicacy.

Classical

The classic nut jam recipe is considered the easiest to make. To prepare this dessert, you'll need the following ingredients:

• green-shelled walnuts – 1.5 kg;
• granulated sugar – 600 g;
• Purified drinking water – 1 l.

The nuts are pre-washed and soaked in a lime solution. After a few days, the nuts are transferred to a cooking pot and placed over low heat. The jam should be simmered for 20 minutes each time, three times. In another container, prepare a syrup from water and sugar. Once the syrup is ready, the nuts are transferred from one pot to another and simmered together for 2.5–3 hours. The finished dessert can be placed in jars and sealed with metal lids, or stored in the refrigerator.

With lemon

Lemon-nut jam will appeal to everyone, since the taste of this delicacy depends on the amount of sugar used in the preparation process.

At first glance, the recipe for this dessert may seem complicated, but in reality, everything is quite different:

1. Prepare 2 kg of green nuts, a few lemons, cinnamon, cardamom, sugar and filtered water.
2. Peel the fruit and soak for 10-12 hours. After this time, change the water. It will take 4-5 days to prepare the main ingredient. Change the water every 12 hours.
3. Mix water and sugar to make a sweet syrup.
4. When the syrup boils, place the steeped fruits in the pan and simmer over low heat for 30–40 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the stove and let it cool. The jam will need to be re-boiled the next day.
6. Once the nuts are soft, add lemon juice and spices. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
7. Place the nuts in dry, pre-sterilized jars and pour the syrup over them. Seal the jars with airtight lids.

With cinnamon and ginger

Ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and other spices can completely transform the flavor and aroma of any dish. So, to make a fragrant jam with grated ginger and cinnamon sticks, you'll need:

• young walnuts in the shell – 1 kg;
• granulated sugar – 1 kg;
• purified drinking water – 800–900 ml;
• cinnamon sticks – 1–2 pcs.;
• dried cloves – 1 tbsp. l.;
• fresh ginger.

Let's get started cooking:

1. The preparatory stage involves processing the main ingredient. The thoroughly washed green peel is cut off with a kitchen knife. Note: only the outer green peel is removed; the flesh remains intact.
2. The prepared fruits are soaked in water for 4–5 days. The water in the container is changed morning and evening.
3. After 4-5 days, begin the jam-making process. Purified drinking water and sugar are poured into an enamel bowl. Stirring constantly with a wooden spatula, bring the syrup to a boil.
4. Once the syrup has boiled, add the nuts, cinnamon, cloves, and grated ginger to the pan. Cook the jam for 40–50 minutes over low heat.
5. If the fruit is still hard, it's recommended to cool it and boil it again. If necessary, repeat this process several times until the kernels are soft to the touch.

Italian dessert

Italians are big fans of sweets, so they slightly modify almost all classic dessert recipes. When it comes to nut jam, Italians often add chocolate, various spices, and herbs to the classic recipe.

Prepare the dessert according to the classic recipe. When it's time to make the syrup, add 100 g of cocoa powder, a little cardamom, anise, cinnamon, grated ginger, and a small pinch of ground red pepper. The finished chocolate jam can be enjoyed as a standalone dish or used in ice cream and various cakes.

In Armenian

This dessert, prepared according to an Armenian recipe, has an intriguing flavor and a pleasant aroma of herbs and spices. To prepare this delicacy, you'll need 100 milk nuts, 2 kg of sugar, 2 liters of water, 2.5 g of citric acid, 5 cardamom seeds, 5 g of cinnamon, and 10 star cloves.

The classic recipe for Armenian jam is as follows:

1. The peeled and soaked nuts in lime are boiled for 30 minutes and quickly cooled under running cold water.
2. By mixing water and sugar, syrup is prepared.
3. Place all the spices and herbs in a homemade cheesecloth bag and soak in the syrup. Add the nuts and simmer over low heat for 4–5 hours. Cool.
4. Place the jam back on the heat. The syrup's consistency determines the dish's readiness. The liquid should be clear and viscous.

Without lime

Many people are wary of using lime when making this sweet treat. Lime can be replaced with baking soda, which helps remove the bitterness from unripe fruits.

We present to you a simple recipe for a delicious dessert without lime:

1. Peel the milk nuts and cut each fruit into 2–4 pieces.
2. Soak the nuts in cold water for several hours. After 4-5 hours, replace the water with fresh water. Repeat this process 3 times.
3. Drain the dark water, fill it with fresh water, and add baking soda. For every 100 g of fruit, you'll need 100 g of baking soda. Let it sit overnight.
4. In the morning, drain the water and baking soda and rinse the milk nuts thoroughly. Add sugar to the pan and let sit for a few hours.
5. Once the juice appears, place the saucepan over the heat and bring its contents to a boil. Simmer until the syrup thickens, but no more than 15–20 minutes.

When handling young green walnuts, wear gloves. Otherwise, your hands will look quite unsightly after washing and peeling.

Making nut jam requires a certain amount of time and effort. However, the flavor, unique aroma, and health benefits of the finished product are worth the effort. You can play with the dessert's flavor during the preparation process by adding citrus zest, various herbs, and spices.