This Pear-Apple Preserves is absolutely delicious. The spice blend used (cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves) couldn't be more perfect! Enjoy it this fall, or any time of the year. Spread it on toasted sourdough or make a Pear Apple Dutch Baby with it instead!
Fall is my favorite time of year. We don't get much fall weather in San Diego; in fact, it's October 15th, and it's 98 degrees today! However, this nasty weather doesn't keep me from wanting to partake in my favorite fall activities. One of them is making this amazing Pear Apple Preserves!
Why This Recipe Works
What says fall more than apples and pears? Pumpkins! Wait, did I just say that? Forget pumpkins for the time being. Yesterday, I made my first batch of Pear-Apple Preserves. All I can say is, "Lord have mercy, this stuff is amazing!"
This preserves not only goes great on buttered toast but it makes a great dessert topping as well. Especially on French vanilla ice cream. Sprinkle some nuts on top and you've got yourself a delicious and super-easy dessert!
You can also use this Pear-Apple Preserves as strudel filling!
What Goes Into This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
- Apples — You'll need five medium apples for this recipe. Fuji, Gala, Honey Crisp, or Pink Lady are all great options. It's ok if they are not fresh.
- Pears — Bartlett pears are juicy and delicious and perfect to use in this recipe. This recipe calls for five pears. f they are starting to get soft spots or discoloration, you can simply slice off the spoiled areas and use the rest.
- Spices — I think the spice combination in this recipe is outstanding. However, if there is a spice you don't have or are not fond of, just leave it out.
How to Make Pear Apple Preserves
Step 1 | Cook Fruit
Place diced fruit in a Dutch oven. Cover with sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Add lemon zest, juice, and vanilla. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a boil.
Step 2| Sterilize Jars
Meanwhile, prepare 4 jars by sterilizing them in boiling water. Another option is to sterilize in the oven using this method.
Step 3| Simmer/Mash Fruit
When the fruit mixture comes to a boil, set the timer for 30 minutes. As the preserves cooks down, you may need to mash some of the fruit into smaller pieces. Continue to stir occasionally to keep the pear apple preserves from burning. You can also use an immersion blender (affiliate link) to make it extra smooth.
Tip: If using an immersion blender, make sure the blade of the blender is fully submerged. Stop pulsing the blender before lifting it out of the liquid. This will keep you from getting splatted with hot jam.
Step 4| Cook Until Thickened
When the time is up, the fruit should be translucent and the syrup should be pretty thick. If the preserves is still too watery, it may need to be cooked a little longer.
Step 5| Process Preserves
Pour the preserves into sterilized jars, using the proper canning tools. Once the lids are screwed hand-tight, place the jars back into the boiling water and process for ten additional minutes.
FAQs
Peeling or not peeling pears when making jam is a personal preference. It also depends on the texture you desire.
If you plan on making the jam chunkier, more like preserves, leave the skin on. If, however, you want a smoother texture, peel the pears first.
How do you thicken pear preserves?
Pears have a good amount of pectin which means pectin is not required to thicken pear preserves.
Make sure that the recipe you are using has enough sugar, which is required for jelling.
The other cause for pear preserves not jelling could be that you have not cooked it long enough. Extra simmering time may be needed.
Pears can be used at any stage of the ripening process. Even pears that are starting to go bad, or have soft spots can be used to make pear preserves. All you have to do is remove the overripe or spoiled parts of the pear and use the rest.
Pro Tips
- Both apples and pears can be peeled or unpeeled when making pear-apple preserves. It's really a matter of preference.
- This recipe should yield approximately five 8-ounce jars.
- The spices in this recipe can be altered, for example, you can leave out the cloves or another spice that you don't like.
- You should have no issues with this pear apple preserves not thickening. Apples and pears both contain a lot of pectin. The lemon zest added to the jam also helps to thicken it.
Related Recipes
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Pear Apple Preserves
Equipment
- 5 (8-ounce) canning jars
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs apples (about 5, peeled and chopped)
- 1½ lbs. pears (about 5, chopped)
- 3 cups granulated white sugar
- 1 medium lemon (zested and juiced)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Place diced fruit in a Dutch oven. Cover with sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Add lemon zest, juice, and vanilla. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a boil.
- Meanwhile, prepare 4 jars by sterilizing them in boiling water. Another option is to sterilize in the oven using this method.
- When the fruit mixture comes to a boil, set the timer for 30 minutes. As the preserves cooks down, you may need to mash some of the fruit into smaller pieces. Continue to stir occasionally to keep the pear apple preserves from burning. You can also use an immersion blender to make it extra smooth.
- When the time is up, the fruit should be translucent and the syrup should be pretty thick. If the preserves is still too watery, it may need to be cooked a little longer.
- Pour the preserves into sterilized jars, using the proper canning tools. Once the lids are screwed hand-tight, place the jars back into the boiling water and process for ten additional minutes.
Notes
- Both apples and pears can be peeled or unpeeled when making pear-apple preserves. It's really a matter of preference.
- This recipe should yield approximately five 8-ounce jars.
- The spices in this recipe can be altered, for example, you can leave out the cloves or another spice that you don't like.
- You should have no issues with this pear apple preserves not thickening. Apples and pears both contain a lot of pectin. The lemon zest added to the jam also helps to thicken it.
- If using an immersion blender, make sure the blade of the blender is fully submerged. Stop pulsing the blender before lifting it out of the liquid. This will keep you from getting splatted with hot jam.
Laura says
can the recipe be doubled? (I assume cook times will be longer)
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Laura, yes it can and it should be right around the same time. No need to double the time. Good luck!
Karen Murden says
Took awhile to get it to setting point, but well worth waiting for tasted lovely, thanks for the recipe Hilda.
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Karen, I'm glad you like it, enjoy!
Beebs says
I made this for a fete stall. It tasted absolutely delicious! Kept a jar for myself, and will definitely make again. Agree the spice balance is perfect!
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Beebs, I'm so glad you enjoyed it and thank you very much for the review & rating!
Kathy Fisher says
I love jams, jellies and preserves. The only reason I make toast is to have it piled high with jam. Well, I finally decided to try some of this terrific apple pear preserve on vanilla ice cream. Whoa. You gotta try it. It's sooo good...like apple pie ala mode. I'm ruined. Thank you Hilda - both you and your apple pear preserves are wonderful.
Hilda Sterner says
I'm so glad you like it, now we just need to find someone with apple and pear trees so I can make a bunch more to share with you!
Deborah says
Hi - how many jam jars (sizes?)does this recipe produce? It would be helpful to know this before starting the recipe.
Thank you
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Deborah,
Sorry about that, I went ahead and updated the recipe to reflect that you should get right around 5 8 ounce jars. Thanks!
Katie Klaus says
I'm not sure I'm "legal" in rating without first making, but am a happy cook with over 55 years experience. : ) The ingredients and amounts and ease of the recipe sound amazing and a delicious combination of flavors. I was looking for a good recipe to make half pint jars for giving to friends, neighbors and family. This most definitely is "the one" (as my daughter tells me when something is wonderful and a "do over")! Thanks for sharing and Happy Fall Y'all!! (Can you tell I'm southern?)
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Katie,
You most definitely can rate a recipe before trying it. Most good cooks can just look at a recipe and know if it will work or not. You obviously fit that description with 55 years of cooking exeprience. I hope you love this jam as much as I do! ❤️
Elizabeth says
Hi, i am new to canning and dont have a dutch oven. Can i do this in a pot instead?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Elizabeth,
Yes, definitely, a pot will work.
Linda McGrue says
After the jars are filled, where should they be stored, in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator and for how long? Thanks
HildaSterner says
Hi Linda,
If you process them in boiling water after filling the jars, you can store them in a pantry for at least six months. If you don't process them, I would recommend keeping them in the fridge. Once opened, I recommend consuming the preserves within a month or so.
Cindi Atkinson says
Looks amazing
HildaSterner says
You did just have a birthday, so.....