This Raspberry Star Anise Jam takes only fifteen minutes to make, and it's a delicious twist on a classic recipe!
I have a confession to make: for the longest time, I had no idea how to make jam.
I attempted to make it a few times, each resulting in a few disasters in the kitchen. One time, I cooked the jam for way too long, and it ended up looking more like a fruit jelly than jam! I felt pretty embarrassed (and a bit defeated) as I spooned all of that jam directly into the trash.
Over time, I have slowly gotten better at making jam, and now I am obsessed with making it. The whole process takes less than 15 minutes and then you have delicious jam to slather on toast, waffles, and more. The only bad part? Once you start making your own jam, you will never want to buy jam from the store ever again!
Raspberry jam is by far my favorite, and I wanted to mix it up with a twist. For this recipe, I threw a few star anise in, and I think it really spices up the jam! Star anise has such a strong flavor profile, and it helps tone down the sweetness of the raspberries.
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Tips for Making This Jam
Here are a few tips when making this jam:
- Keep in mind that this jam does have seeds in it because of the raspberries. If you prefer your jam without seeds, you can deseed the raspberries by straining them through a sieve. Personally, I love the texture and flavor of a jam with seeds!
- While the jam is cooking, stir frequently with a heatproof spatula. As the jam cooks in the pot, it can easily start to burn on the bottom. By stirring the jam frequently, you help distribute it evenly throughout the pot and prevent any burning.
- Make this jam in small amounts. When it comes to making jam, I don't recommend doubling or tripling the recipe. If you try and make too much jam at once, it's easy for the fruit to overcook. Instead, I recommend making the jam in several batches if you want a large amount.
Common Questions About This Jam
Yes! The best part about making jam is that you can use fresh or frozen fruit. Simply use raspberries straight from the freezer and follow the recipe as written.
When I first started making jam, I struggled to know when it was ready. Keep in mind that the jam will continue to thicken up once you take it off the heat! I can usually tell that the jam is ready once it starts to stick to the bottom of the pot. You can also try putting a spoon or lid in the freezer, then dropping some of the jam on it. Run your finger or another utensil through the jam, and if it leaves a distinct trail that doesn’t fill back up, it’s ready.
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this jam will usually last up to two months. This time will vary, so keep an eye on it—you should toss the jam if you start seeing any mold growing on the top.
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Raspberry Star Anise Jam
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 ounces 1x
Description
This Raspberry Star Anise Jam takes only fifteen minutes to make, and it's a delicious twist on a classic recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (304g) fresh raspberries
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- Juice of half of lemon (12g)
- 5 (7g) star anise
Instructions
- In a medium pot, combine raspberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and star anise. Heat mixture over high heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula. Once the mixture starts to bubble up along the sides of the pot, reduce the heat to medium.
- Cook the mixture for 10-12 minutes, or until you start to feel it thicken. To test if the jam is ready, I usually like to run my spatula along the bottom of the pot in a straight line. If it takes more than a second for the line to fill back up, the jam is usually ready. I like to err on the side of caution and take the jam off almost too early—if it's not done yet, you can always return it back to the heat.
- Once ready, remove the pot from the heat and transfer the jam to a heatproof container. Remove the star anise pods, and be sure to seal the container tightly to prolong the shelf life of the jam. Let the jam cool completely at room temperature, then transfer to the fridge.
- Stored properly in an airtight container, this jam will usually last for two months in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Jam
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: American
Delicious! The star anise adds such a unique flavor to this jam. Definitely bookmarking to make this again!
Right?? I was hesitant about the star anise at first, but it's such a gamechanger!