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Black elderberry jam: 8 recipes

A tall, spreading shrub grows along roads, in cemeteries and abandoned villages. Elderberry is elegant at any time of year, delighting in the spring with cream dense umbrellas of inflorescences, in the summer - brushes of black varnished berries, in the fall - a bright palette of colorful leaves. It is often destroyed, thought to be poisonous. But herbalists know and appreciate its medicinal properties, and cooks - the great taste of properly cooked berries. They make excellent jams and flavorful jam.



Capricious beauty

There is nothing super dangerous in elderberry. Especially if you intelligently understand its subspecies. It is still not possible to clearly classify them. Scientists of different countries regularly lose count: they get from 9 to 40 varieties. This is not surprising, as a well-tended plant, planted according to all the rules and provided with fertilizers, looks more like a tree 5-7 meters tall. Shrubs planted as ornamental fences have a completely different shape, which they are given on purpose, and elderberry in nature looks almost nothing like garden versions. Only the berries, which ripen in August and sit in dense rows on broad umbrella brushes, are similar to them.

Black elderberry jam

Capricious elderberry is called not for its demanding growing conditions. It is very undemanding and grows well even in shaded and damp places. It requires respect for itself when harvesting raw material for recipes of folk medicine and accurate compliance with the proportions, since the leaves do contain poisonous substances: glycoside sambugrin and calcium oxalate.

The plant has several variant names, in different regions it is called sambuc, elderberry, Swiss tea.

Outwardly, elderberry is very easy to recognize. It is quite tall, no matter what form, bush or tree it is in. The crown is rounded, the leaves are elongated, lanceolate. The bark is characteristically brown and ashy; young shoots are covered with green skin.

Flowers are cream-colored, gathered in a dense umbrella of the open type, the fragrance is rich, sweet. Flowering begins in May, fruiting occurs in September. The berries are large, up to 1 cm, sour-sweet taste.

Composition and calories

The berries are interesting with a selection of useful constituents, including:

  • glycosides;
  • anthocyanins;
  • carotene;
  • vitamin C;
  • terpene;
  • rutin;
  • tannins;
  • amino acids;
  • fruit sugars;
  • sambucin;
  • traces of essential oils;
  • antioxidants;
  • phytonutrients.

The pulp of ripe fruits and flowers do not contain poisonous compounds. The caloric value of 100 grams of fresh berries is 73 kcal. In a jam, the figure increases by 7 times due to the included sugar in the recipe.

Useful properties of elderberries

In official medicine, the therapeutic properties of flowers and fruits are used. Folk recipes recognize the usefulness of all parts, including leaves and bark. In this case, harvesting follows the same rules. Berries have diuretic, anti-inflammatory, laxative, diaphoretic and analgesic effect. Decoctions, infusions and extracts are used for the treatment and prevention:

  • peptic ulcer;
  • kidney failure;
  • liver disorders;
  • neurological diseases;
  • Gastrointestinal and endocrine system disorders;
  • skin problems;
  • private colds;
  • high cholesterol;
  • Inflammation of hemorrhoids.

It is also noticed that elderberry helps to improve the twilight vision, reduce sugar and cholesterol levels, solve gynecological problems.

Video: Elderberry's medicinal properties Expand

Contraindications

It is necessary to remember that under certain conditions elderberry contains poisonous compounds. They are concentrated in unripe berries. To collect and prepare any recipe, the fruit must turn black-purple. Use them in the period of exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases, with ulcerative colitis, individual intolerance, during pregnancy and breastfeeding is not allowed. Children under 12 years of age will bring more harm than good.

Benefits and harms of elderberry jam

During thermal processing, many of the qualities of fresh raw materials weaken, some of the vitamins disintegrate. But even what remains is enough to obtain tangible benefits for the body. Any jam is a berry or fruit base and sugar. At the same time, its allergenicity is significantly reduced, the effect is mitigated.

If fresh elderberries have serious restrictions on their use, then the treats on its basis turn them into recommendations.

In large quantities any product is not welcome. Elderberry jam is no exception and it is not eaten by tablespoons, but enjoy the taste, for which 50-100 g, served in a beautiful vase is enough.

The most important properties of this dessert are considered diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory, antihistamine and tonic. Women greatly appreciate the rejuvenating and diuretic effect, the representatives of the stronger sex are more impressed by the acceleration of regeneration and removal of the effects of physical stress.

As a preventive measure jam is recommended:

  • For a weakened immune system;
  • sciatica;
  • arthritis;
  • varicose veins;
  • The risk of atherosclerosis.

The delicacy is able to relieve pain and lower cholesterol levels. The jam is worth a treat for those who are long suffering from a dry cough, a lingering cold, sluggish intestinal peristalsis, frequent violation of the oral mucosa.

Like any dish containing a lot of sugar, it is not recommended to eat it in large quantities. Particularly strict restrictions for people who are overweight and have endocrine disorders. To a few teaspoons a day is reduced to the use of a delicacy for patients with renal insufficiency.

How to choose elderberries for jam

The main requirement - the berries must be fully ripe. It is also worth asking about the species of the plant and in no case confuse the poisonous red one with the medicinal black one.

It is best to collect the brush berries yourself, away from cemeteries, roads and businesses. But if you had to buy the raw material, preference is given to the black color and whole fruits without signs of dripping juice and mechanical damage.

Sweet delicacy is prepared not only from the ripe fruits, but also from the fully opened flowers, picking them at the height of June. The berries ripen in September.

How to cook black elderberry jam: recipes

Preparation of raw materials goes according to a single algorithm. Berries or flowers are sorted out, washed, given to drain excess liquid, separated from the stalks. The next step is to choose a suitable cooking method. There is quite a wide range of choices here.

How to make black elderberry jam

The 3-in-1 Classic

Without changing the proportions of the main ingredients, you can get 3 versions of the treat.

The ratio is traditional - an equal amount of sugar and berries by weight. They are dry, so in order not to add water, some of the fruit is squeezed with a rolling pin, the rest is poured on top, add sugar. It takes about 12 hours to get the juice. The mass is boiled on low heat until the volume is halved, then spread into jars and put away in a cool place.

The second way is to keep the berries whole and make them juicy at the same time. To do this, separately boil syrup, pour berries in it and leave until it cools. The next approach is to boil the liquid again separately and again poured into a bowl with berries. At the third boil the whole mass is boiled until it is ready.

A very interesting variant is obtained if you first simmer the berries in their own juice until the volume is halved, and only then add sugar. After boiling for 10 minutes, the delicacy is quickly poured into jars and hermetically sealed.

Elderberry and blackberry

A great combination not only in the color ratio, but also in the sphere of benefits for the body. This is a real vitamin pill for weak immunity, lingering coughs and frequent colds. The ratio of berries and sugar is 1:1. Elderberries are crushed and rubbed through a sieve, blackberries can be added as whole berries. The secret of preparation is to boil the mixture without sugar. It is added 10 minutes before it is ready. The whole process takes 30-35 minutes.

Apple mix

Apples are often included in recipes for sweet desserts. The combination with elderberries gives the dessert a tart, flavorful note. To prepare it, you will need 1 kg each of sugar, peeled from the skin, seeds and diced apples, as well as 500 g of ripe berries. The mixture is mixed with 1 cup of water. For flavoring, you can put shavings of zest from half a lemon. The mass is allowed to stand for 2 hours, then put on low heat, boiled for 3 sessions of 10-12 minutes with breaks for complete cooling.

Gooseberry and elderberry

A very unusual combination gives an exquisite delicate taste. The recipe includes:

  • elderberries - 1.1 kg;
  • gooseberries - 350 grams;
  • sugar - 1.3 kg.

Elderberries are stewed in water for 6 minutes, the liquid is drained, the berries are combined with gooseberries and passed through a blender. Then the mass is injected sugar and boiled until the desired thickness. Jars with a delicacy rolled tightly, stored in a cool place.

Lemon cool

To diversify the taste of fresh berries, citrus fruits are added. This can be a large lemon or orange. The zest is grated into shavings, juice is squeezed from the pulp, elderberries are kneaded with a rolling pin. Cooked in one go, cooking time - about 30 minutes.

Flower jam

Tender, fragrant and inimitable treat has an amazing taste and stunning appearance. Washed and separated from the peduncle of flowers in a liter jar poured into an enamel or ceramic bowl. From 0.5 kg of sugar and the same amount of water to prepare syrup, pour the flowers and leave under a lid overnight. Over low heat, the mixture is boiled for 20 minutes, then strain through a sieve and have another 15 minutes boil without flower mass.

The jam is used as a remedy for bronchitis, colds, problems in the nervous system, disorders in the functioning of the sebaceous glands.

Elderberry with honey

Instead of sugar, honey is perfectly suitable. It will increase the therapeutic potential in the absence of an allergy to bee products. For 500 g of fruit you will need 300 g of honey. In this case, the berries are kneaded and boiled separately, the sweet component is added to a slightly cooled mass, otherwise it will lose all the useful properties. The dessert is stored only in the refrigerator on a shelf for vegetables.

Elderflower with honey and nuts

This royal treat for the most fastidious gourmets will make you puzzle over identifying the ingredients. It is very likely that they will be able to identify only the walnut kernels, which will need three cups. You will also need 3 mayonnaise jars of liquid honey, 1 kg of dried elderflowers, 5 cups of sugar and 200 ml of water.

The inflorescences are thoroughly washed and poured over with boiling water for 10 minutes. The liquid is drained through a colander. In another bowl put all the ingredients, bring to a boil, and there put the flowers. Boil in three stages of 10 minutes. It turns out a golden transparent delicacy with a thick nutty flavor.

Video: How to cook elderberry jam Expand

Elderberry Facts of Interest

Elderberry Facts

  1. The plant is widely used for decorative purposes as an element of landscape design.
  2. The ancient Greeks and Romans attributed protective properties to the tree.
  3. The inhabitants of Ukraine considered the bush a spawn of unclean forces, and it was forbidden to touch it. In order to uproot it, they hired the hopelessly ill.
  4. The juice of the berries dyes tissues red.
  5. In the Czech Republic and Slovenia girls used branches of the shrub to fortune-telling for their betrothed.

Attractive in spring and beautiful in autumn, elderberry can keep many secrets and bring health and peace of mind. Jam from its berries will become a real decoration of the table, will save from illnesses and bad moods.

«Important: All information on this site is provided solely for informational purposes. Before using any recommendations, consult with a specialist. specialist before using any of the recommendations. Neither the editors nor the authors shall be liable for any possible harm caused by materials."


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