A 4 Ingredients Blackberry Chia Seed Jam, easy, budget friendly and no preservatives added. If you haven’t tried making homemade jam, this is probably a good chance to give it a try. It is such a simple process and it is 100% better than store-bought. For sure it is not a thick and sticky as store-bought, but I still think it is better than store-bought. It taste fresh, not surprising because I used fresh in season Blackberry. I also like that fact that it is not too sweet, it has a nice tart tangy taste and just the right sweetness and consistency.

During summer time, the blackberry bushes in front of my house starts to bear fruits and it is irresistible to not stop and pick some. I did stopped and picked some blackberry few days ago and I had used some of it for my morning yogurt breakfast, and I still have more left in the fridge. Good thing about berries, the likes of strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and blueberry, they are very versatile and can be used in so many ways. It’s good to eat it fresh on its own, or as a mix in with yogurt, for muffins, for cakes, for pies, for tarts, for cobblers, and for jams. With so many of these options, I had decided to make it into a jam, and later on to use the jam in my baking. I had done Strawberry Jam and Raspberry Jam in my old posts and they both turned out good. So, why nor make blackberry this time?

Home-made Jams are much better than store-bought ones as you can add more or less fruits and you can adjust the sweetness to your preference. Be careful though when adjusting the amount of sugar you use. Sugar in Jams is more than just to add sweetness. Since this recipe do not use any preservative, the sugar will act as the preservative and will also be responsible for the gelling or thickener of the Jam. Less sugar will mean more liquid consistency, less gel-like texture and shorter shelf life. The steps are same as my Raspberry Jam and Strawberry Jam. Let’s get started!

Difference Between Homemade Jam and Store-Bought Jam

I used to buy store-bought jams, convenient and easy, right? We cannot argue with that, but once you try making homemade jam you will be surprised how so much better it is than store-bought. To main thing I noticed was the consistency and texture. Store-bought jams have jelly like consistency, it is clearer (again like a jelly) and has more-sweeter taste and less than tartness. The jelly  like texture is attributed to an ingredient called “Pectin” which helps thickens the jam to have a jelly like consistency. You can buy buy ‘Pectin’ and add in in your homemade jam, but I never add any in my homemade jams and they turned out just fine. If does not have the transparency and jelly like texture, but I seem to like it that way. I can taste the flavor of the fruit better, the tartness of the berry stands out more.

How to Thicken Homemade Jam without Pectin

If you are using a citrus fruit or berries to make the jam, these already have natural Pectin in them. Of course it is not as enhance as when you add more, but the natural Pectin is a good start. 

• Powder Pectin – You can now buy a powered pectin is you really want to get as close as possible to store-bought jam. My personal preference, don’t bother. The other two option below are easier find and works great too. 
• Cornstarch is an option to make the jam thicker. I like to add few teaspoons in my homemade, this plus the sugar helps thicken the sauce 
• Chia Seed, is another great option to thicken the jam. In fact, adding chia seed gives the jam a jelly like consistency and texture. Bonus plus, chia seed is a good source of protein, a little goes a long way. I’ve added chia seed when I made my Strawberry Chia Seed Jam and it turned out amazing! Get the full recipe HERE. 

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups Frozen or Fresh Blackberry
• 1/3 cup Granulated White Sugar (1/4 for less sweet)
• 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
• 2 tablespoon Chia Seed

Instructions:

1. In a pan, transfer the Blackberry, sugar, cornstarch and chia seed. Mix just to coat the Blackberry with cornstarch.
2. Chunky Blackberry Jam: Simmer in medium heat for about 15 minutes. Leave simmering for about 5 minutes without mixing, then when it starts to bubble and the juice starts coming, stir the mixture. Continue stirring to avoid burning and sticking to the pan. The consistency will be liquidy and watery but the consistency get thicker as it cool down. If you want an even thicker Jam, simmer longer until most of the juice has evaporated.
3. Smooth Seedless Blackberry Jam: Strain the mixture using a fine sieve to remove the seeds. Use aback of the spoon to press the mixture and scrape the bottom of the sieve. Return the smooth Jam to the pan and bring to boil 3 more minutes. Stir continuously to avoid burning.
4. Store: Transfer in a jar with lid and let it cool completely before storing it in the refrigerator.

Note: Raspberry has a more tart and sour taste as compared to other berries. Taste the Blackberry, and adjust the amount of sugar as needed. If the RBlackberry is quite sour, you may need more than 1/3 cup of sugar.

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