Preserves: Peach and Toasted Almond Jam Recipe

This Preserves: Peach and Toasted Almond Jam post is sponsored by Ball® Mason Jars. All opinions are my own.

Homemade peach and toasted almond preserves! 

I wanted to share this tested and approved recipe from Ball Canning, it’s perfectly peachy and balanced with just the right amount of toasted almonds to give it a little extra texture.

There’s no better way to extend the season of your favorite produce than by preserving. Regardless if you’re a pro or new to making your own jams and jellies, you can rely on Ball Canning for all of your preserving needs from tested recipes and easy how-to instructions to finding everything you need to be a successful jam and jelly maker. For this recipe, you’ll need half-pint (8 ounce) Ball Mason Jars, the Ball Water Bath Canner, and my favorite Ball Preserving Starter Kit that contains all the tools needed to get you started.

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LET’S START WITH THE PRESERVING BASICS:

Step One:

• Gather the appropriate sized Ball Jars you’ll need. This recipe requires 4 half-pint Mason Jars. I used the Ball Half-Pint Jam Jars and for the squatty jars, I used the Ball Collection Elite Half-Pint Jars.

Step Two:

• Bring the large capacity Ball Water Canner to a simmer and heat the jam jars until ready to use (this is to make sure they are properly sterilized). Wash the lids and rings in hot soapy water and set aside until needed.

Step Three:

• Prepare the ingredients. For best flavor, find the highest quality ingredients. Peaches that are still firm but ripe with a sweet aroma are going to yield a beautiful jam. 
• I suggest buying a fresh batch of sliced almonds, as nuts can have a tendency to go rancid if they’ve been around for a while. 
• When toasting your almonds, use a dry skillet over medium-low heat and don’t forget about them as once they start to turn golden they can easily burn. So watch them like a hawk (unlike me during my squirrel moments, it happens more than I care to admit!).

Step Four:

• Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a wide opening, this helps ensure an even distribution of heat and helps prevent the jam from catching on the bottom of the saucepan. 
• A great tool to have on hand is a potato masher. Yes, a potato masher. It’s helpful to gently crush the fruit. Don’t have a potato masher? No worries, you can also use the back of a spoon or fork.

You can find all you need for making your own preserves from Ball Mason Jars, water canners, and my favorite Ball Preserving Starter Kit here. For tested recipes and inspiration don’t forget to follow them on Facebook here, Instagram, and their must-follow Pinterest boards here.

Don’t be intimidated by the idea of making your own jams and jellies, it really is easy to do. Not only do you know exactly what’s going in that Mason Jar, but you also can enjoy the best of the season for months down the road. My favorite bonus to all of this home preserving is if I make enough to share with friends and family as a gift from the kitchen. 

*Always make sure to follow the instructions on proper sterilization and sealing. This is the guide I use and refer to all the time from Ball Canning*

Preserves: How To Enjoy Homemade Peach and Toasted Almond Jam:

There’s more to jam than topping off a piece of toast. Here’s a few ideas of how to incorporate jam into your repertoire.

• Think charcuterie board! I love a cheese board with a vast array of cheese and seeing it ladened with fruits and nuts, but what I find most appealing is a fruity jam to top it off.
• Bruschetta, oh yes. This peach and toasted almond jam are gorgeous paired with prosciutto and brie all on top of a toasted slice of a baguette. Oui oui.
• A nice spoonful of this recipe of peach preserves topping off a rich vanilla ice cream. Yum!
• I know it’s cliche, but you can’t go wrong with a cuppa tea and jam on toast, just saying.
• Make your own peach vinaigrette, use ½ cup jam and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and drizzle it over a bed of arugula and top it off with cornbread croutons. Gorgeous!
• Afternoon tea with scones, clotted cream, and this stunning peach jam. 
• Marinate your chicken with a half cup of the preserves for about 30 minutes, then grill, bake, or stir fry. You end up with a peachy sweetened meal that’s perfect for the warm weather.
• Whisk a spoonful of the jam into plain Greek yogurt and top with additional toasted almonds or granola for a stunning breakfast or snack.
• Use it as a filling in a jelly roll or layered cake, or you can add it to glaze sweet breads such as babka.
• Make peaches and cream Eton mess, such as in this blackberry and ginger Eton mess. Simply substitute the blackberry jam with your peach preserves and top with fresh peaches and use shortbread in place of gingersnaps.

Other recipe ideas using jams to try:

• Try this collection of recipe ideas using jams from Brit + Co.
• Epicurious gives a list of ideas here that sound delicious.
• The Food Network has a few unexpected ways to use jam here.

How to make peach and toasted almond jam: