Persimmon Jam

Method

1. First, sterilize jars: Preheat the Oven to 110 degrees. Wash jars with dish soap and rinse thoroughly. Place jars upright on a clean baking tray and place in preheated oven for approx 15 minutes until jars are completely dry. Boil lids in a saucepan for 5 minutes and place them on a cooling rack to air dry.
2. Place two small saucers or plates in the freezer. 
3. Wash and dry your persimmons and lemon. Remove the stem from all fruits and peel the Persimmon. 
4. Cut the persimmon into 1 cm cubes, removing any seeds and blemishes. 
5. Cut the lemon in half and juice, keeping the reserved juice and skins separate.
6. Add the Persimmon cubes, squeezed-out lemon halves and water to a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir frequently for 10 minutes, using a long-handled wooden spoon, to ensure the fruit doesn’t stick.
7. Add the sugar and lemon juice to the saucepan. Stir until the sugar dissolves – this will take 3-5 minutes.
8. Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat to a rolling boil. Boil for 12 minutes, stirring frequently. 
9. After 12 minutes, begin to check for the setting point by smearing a little of your jam mixture onto one of the frozen plates, after 30 seconds push your finger through the jam, if it crinkles even just a little it is ready. If it is not continue to cook and test again in 1-2 minutes.
10. You can choose to keep the small pieces of fruit in the jam or blend with a stick blender until smooth. Ladle the jam into your jam jars, once cool enough to handle put on the lids and wipe off any excess jam. Jam can be kept at room temperature but must be refrigerated once opened.