Red Wine Raspberry Jam

After putting my Red Wine Chocolate Layer Cake into the oven, I was confronted with a nearly-full bottle of red wine. Generally, I would just store the bottle in the fridge for later use. This time, however, I had two packages of raspberries just crying out to be paired with the wine.

My original plan was to use the jam as the filling for my birthday cake. Faced with leftover jam, I have since discovered that it is just as delicious smeared on toast or stirred into greek yogurt as it was layered between two cake halves. For a tangier jam, reduce the sugar and add a squirt or two of lemon juice. Alternatively, stir in some diced crystallized ginger once the jam has nearly finished cooking. Refrigerated, this jam will stay good for at least two weeks. If canned, it would likely stay good much longer.

Red Wine Raspberry Jam

Makes roughly 1 cup of jam

1 1/2 cup raspberries

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 1/2 cup red wine

In a small pot, roughly mash the raspberries with a fork. Stir in the sugar and wine. Heat the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn down to a steady simmer. Let cook, stirring more frequently as the mixture thickens, for roughly 45 minutes, or until the jam has gelled. To test, spoon a small amount of jam onto a frozen plate. If the jam stays firm and the liquids do not immediately separate from the solids, then it’s ready. Enjoy!