What can I do with jam?

[Aparecium]

I no longer eat jam (😢). The jam-eater in my household will only eat strawberry jam. I have jars of lovely jams made from all sorts of other fruits. I cannot donate them as they are all beyond their BB dates. I used to make jam, so I know that BB dates don't mean much: well-made, properly sealed jam can last for years. It's fine for us to use, just not donateable. Some of it is homemade (though not by me).

How can I use it up? Sandwiching cakes together and brushing on meat for a sticky glaze don't use up much. I've tried subbing jam for sugar in baking, but it results in a greyish, heavy cake. The colour issue would not be a problem in a chocolate cake, but the extra liquid is very difficult to account for.

Any suggestions?

You could advertise them on the food sharing app Olio - just say they are out of date, but if they are sealed someone may take them.

I swirl jam into into brownies

I often use a tablespoon of the likes of redcurrant jelly and cranberry sauce in stir fry to give a bit of sweetness to spicy ingredients - would jam work as an alternative?

You can use it to sweeten porridge and rice pudding, and use it in smoothies in place of honey. My DS loves a peanut butter, jam and banana smoothie!

I used to make my own jam and when people hear that they decide to give you their own jam.

I used to make it into wine. Which I didn't drink but my OH does. I just waited til i jad about 3 kgish, heated it up and added water until all the jaminess was dissolved, enough water until the SG was right and then added wine yeast and fermented the sugar out. Then Campden tablet, strained and bottled it.

I have a glut of jam because I made it and we don't eat enough to use it.
Things I use it for
A dollop on pork loin steaks grilled or roasted.
All gravy is improved with a dollop of jam, usually I would use redcurrant jelly but really any jam works.
Cooking fruit, we eat a lot of cooked fruit as I grow it and freeze it. We eat with yoghurt or in crumbles. Instead of adding sugar when cooking raspberries or rhubarb I add a dollop of jam.

Hmmm...jam wine... the other ideas are good, but this one is - different! I may have to try it. Can you point me at a recipe, or give me any tips? Does it require any specialist equipment?

You've given me an idea! I sometimes make bramble liqueurs. Could I make jam liqueurs? Essentially, dissolve the jam in vodka, leave to age for a few months, then strain.

Demijohn with blipper, or a gallon bucket with blipper, Campden tablets, hydrometer and wine yeast.

And get onto a wine making forum for the start SG, I can't remember but I think knit needs to be 1.07 or 1.08 to start. There should be wine from jam recipes online somewhere.

Yes that should work. And when you strain, put the soaked fruit into a cake or make alcoholic flapjacks or brownies with it.

Nigella Lawson has a recipe for chocolate muffins with jam in them. I think it's cherry jam in the recipe, but you could use any kind.

Demijohn with blipper, or a gallon bucket with blipper, Campden tablets, hydrometer and wine yeast.

I'm trying to clear cupboard space, not acquire more things-I-never-knew-I-needed!

For the liqueurs, 1:1 jam:vodka by volume? Or should I use more vodka? 1:1 would result in 20%, I think? Would that be strong enough to keep well?

I'd do a standard jar of jam to a bottle of spirits.

I think you are overthinking it, the alcohol level plus the sugar will make it fine to keep probably forever.

Jam tarts ("crostata" as I know it) use up a lot of jam, way more than a sandwich cake, and are delicious as a dessert, teatime treat or even breakfast in my house.
I don't have a go-to recipe to recommend, but you'll find loads if you Google it!

Liqueur sounds fab OP.

We don't eat much jam but constantly receive it as gifts. I tend to put it in flapjacks, substituting for part of the syrup.

A couple of years ago we won a hamper put together by a local charity which contained several jars of over boiled jam.
If any of your spare is marmalade, try adding it to braised red cabbage - delicious; tangy and glossy. Cut the sugar.
I added jam and less sugar to fruit for crumble - mixed fruit crumble likes any jam. Rhubarb crumble loves rhubarb jam. Doesn't work with just apple because the- the fruit in the jam isnt adding much fruit - a bit pallid and meh.
A jar of marrow and ginger jam that I couldn't quite get my head round to eat on toast went in 2 sticky toffee puddings - I used less sugar and dates. Worked really well
I simmer frozen raspberries with raspberry jam for raspberry layer in a Bakewell tart.

Bread and bitter pudding ... use jam instead of butter, use brioche of croissants.
Victoria sandwich.
A dollop in rice pudding.

if you like cakes/biscuits/bars, make Shortbread jam squares. Very easy to do and you can decide how much jam you want to use (the photo in the recipe I’ve linked uses quite a thin layer, and tbh I’d use more crumble topping too)