Aronia berries (chokeberries)
I do vividly remember my first encounter with chokeberries, their beautiful color contrasting with the uninviting, bitter taste. It took real effort to swallow them. But it’s just as they say: do not judge the book by its cover…
The berries, also known as aronia berries, are small, dark purple in color. Originally from North America, they have been revered by the indigenous people for their medicinal properties. Recently, they have started gaining popularity as a superfood in Western countries too, where many discover their powerful health benefits.
And these health benefits are truly multiple. The berries are rich in antioxidants (in case you haven’t heard about them, they help protect us from harmful environmental substances). They are also quite loaded with vitamins and other beneficial substances: vitamins C and K, fiber, potassium, and manganese to name just a few. You’ll be surprised, but they actually contain more vitamin C than lemons or oranges! Due to all this, they help your body fight inflammation, improve your heart, and are even said to lower the cancer risk. Amazing, isn’t it?
How to add chokeberries to your diet
Yet, in spite of their health benefits, chokeberries are still relatively unknown. This may be due to their bitter taste, which sure does not appeal to many people – myself included. However, there are many different ways to make chokeberries more pleasant in taste, if you consider adding them to your diet. You may add them to smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, or using them in baking. Below, you’ll find my own invention: a chokeberry jam that according to my friends is the most delicious jam they ever tasted. No kidding!
A huge advantage of chokeberries is that they are quite easy to grow. They thrive in all moderate climates, do not mind long winters and bear fruit every year. This makes them increasingly popular at farmers’ markets and specialized grocery stores. So I encourage you to add these berries to your diet and enjoy the health benefits of this often overlooked superfood.
Benefits of chokeberries
Yet, in spite of their health benefits, chokeberries are still relatively unknown. This may be due to their bitter taste, which sure does not appeal to many people – myself included. However, there are many different ways to make chokeberries more pleasant in taste, if you consider adding them to your diet. You may add them to smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, or using them in baking. Below, you’ll find my own invention: a chokeberry jam that according to my friends is the most delicious jam they ever tasted. No kidding!
A huge advantage of chokeberries is that they are quite easy to grow. They thrive in all moderate climates, do not mind long winters and bear fruit every year. This makes them increasingly popular at farmers’ markets and specialized grocery stores. So I encourage you to add these berries to your diet and enjoy the health benefits of this often overlooked superfood.
Aronia berry jam recipe
While chokeberries are undeniably rich in vitamins, their bitterness is a well-known challenge. Freezing them may help mitigate this bitterness, but it doesn’t necessarily enhance the overall flavor of jams. To truly make the most of your chokeberries, some experimentation is in order. The following recipe is my own creation, but the journey of perfecting it is an ongoing process ;-). I’ve chosen to use spices traditionally associated with Christmas: cloves and cinnamon. The resulting flavor makes the jam a delightful complement to soft and moldy cheeses like Brie, Camembert, and Roquefort.
I encourage you to join in the experimentation. If you’ve tried out this recipe or made adjustments to suit your taste, I’d love to hear about your results in the comments below.
The recipe
Ingredients
- Chokeberries 2 kg
- Apples 1 kg (up to 2 kg if you want a milder-tasting jam)
- Oranges 0,5 kg
- Spices: some whole cloves (5-10 pieces – depending on your taste) and ground cinnamon (2-4 tablespoons – depending on your taste)
- Sugar 2 kg (you may add more or less depending on your taste)
- Optional: some pectin (if you like a thicker jam)
Procedure
- Freeze the chokeberries for at least 24 hours.
- Cut the apples and oranges into cubes.
- Mix the fruits and add the cloves.
- Cook until the fruits become soft.
- Purée the ingredients in a blender until they become smooth.
- Add sugar, cinnamon, and optionally, some pectin
- Heat on a stove until the sugar dissolves.
- Put the hot jam into twist-top jars (0.5-liter jars will work fine) and close the jars.
- Place the jars upside down to cool (this removes the air and seals the jars), or alternatively, you may pasteurize the jars.
- Store in a dark and cool place.
I hope this recipe will inspire you to make your own jam 🙂 Enjoy!
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