posts may contain Amazon affiliate links, which earn me a small commission when you buy (but doesn't cost you anything extra). Occasionally I receive free products and/or run sponsored posts—this will always be stated clearly in the post. Thank you for supporting this blog.

This website contains some quotations, excerpts, and screen clips from copyrighted material. These uses fall well within the copyright doctrine of "Fair Use".
Saturday, September 10, 2011

Roasted Strawberry Vanilla Bean Jam

Can I get a show of hands from everybody who likes fruit leathers?  Both of my arms are raised high.  Hands waving, jazz fingers shimmy-ing.  I don't know what it is, but I have always been nuts for the flavor of slow cooked fruit.  That deep, rich, complex flavor that slow roasting coaxes from fruit is like a silent bomb invading your mouth.  I remember a time when I had to hunt down a "natural" food store or a "health food" store to find some of these sheets of tacky fruit.  I have made them at home before, but I get lazy.  And I have to be in the right mood to do it.  I haven't been in the right mood for a number of years.  Fortunately I can find individually wrapped ones in awesome flavors that I never had when I was young (like MANGO!) and good old standby's like strawberry.

Fast forward to the past couple of months.  I've seen some different recipes floating around with the words "roasted strawberries" in them.  I haven't been able to stop the daydreaming.  Roasted strawberries are haunting my thoughts.  Interrupting my menu plans.  Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream.  Roasted Strawberry Muffins.  Roasted Strawberry Cake.  Roasted.  Strawberries.  I give up!  So, when I saw Kim's Fresh Strawberry and Vanilla Jam last week, I knew right then and there that I would be making a version of it...but I would be roasting my strawberries!  So imagine a jam with the concentration of flavor that a fruit leather has and then imagine it flecked with sexy little specks of vanilla.  It's rich and dynamic.  Consider me seduced.
Roasted Strawberry Vanilla Bean Jam  
inspired by/liberally adapted from Jamie Oliver
makes ~1¼ c.

2 lbs. strawberries, hulled & halved
1 vanilla bean
½ c. sugar
freshly squeezed lemon juice
Place your strawberries in a bowl, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean onto the strawberries, then throw the pod in the bowl, as well.  Add the sugar and stir everything around.  Let sit for ~10 minutes while you preheat your oven to 250° F.
Pour the strawberry mixture out onto a sheet tray that has been lined with foil or parchment in a single layer.  Squeeze about a quarter of a juicy lemon over the top of everything.  Slide into the oven and bake, stirring a couple of times, until the berries are very soft and look a bit withered ~2 hours.
Remove from oven, scrape everything (especially all of the caramelized juices) into a bowl and let cool a bit.  Remove the vanilla bean pod.  Mash everything up with a potato masher for a chunkier jam, or whiz it in the food processor if you like it smoother.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a few weeks, if needed.  I LOVE this jam when it's warm, so I heat it up a bit before spreading it on something.
And uuuuhhhhh...is anybody else's cat this nuts?  He was sleeping.  Even when the hubs and I couldn't stop laughing...uncontrollably...while taking his picture, the tongue stayed out.  Oh yeah, he even woke up and I gave him a good-natured shake/petting, the tongue remained out.  Just looking at the picture now, a giggle or ten escape.
We're making Condiments! at IHCC this week...
LetsGetNaked
I am also sharing this post with:
Katherine Martinelli Friday Blog Hop: Strawberries
weekend cooking strawberry saturday

Would you like to comment?

  1. I've heard that ones nose can have hallucinations...and since I think I can smell that jam...I'm starting to believe it. It looks amazing.
    What a cute little kitty! Mine use to stick their tongues out too...I could never resist the temptation to poke his tongue and see his confused expression as he woke up!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh wow! Hands waving too. beautiful way to make jam.

    Velva

    ReplyDelete
  3. Roasted strawberries. Who'da thunk it?
    Now that you say it though, it seems only natural. Of course! Roasted strawberries! Why did we not think of this sooner?
    Perfect. Love it. ☺

    ReplyDelete
  4. WOW! Dear look amazing and nice!! wonderful idea!! gloria

    ReplyDelete
  5. Roasted strawberries, I can just imagine that deep, delicious flavor! And on a croissant, I'd say that is simply perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I've never considered roasting strawberries, but it makes perfect sense! Looks wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Okay, now you have me thinking about roasting all sorts of fruits.LOL

    ReplyDelete
  8. This sounds like an easy way to make jam! I will have to try this :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yes, please! I've never had roasted strawberries. Haven't even heard of such a thing. All I know is that now I'm daydreaming about them.

    Great cat pic. It did make me giggle!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm going to copy and paste your post, and try and make this, maybe next summer when the strawbs are fresh.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Well done,chunky jam looks alluring..

    ReplyDelete
  12. imagine that on a nice warm scone...OMG!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Yours is the first website I've seen the idea of roasted strawberries on. Where have I been?! I love this idea. If I wanted to only use unprocessed sugars, do you think this will still work? Say palm sugar or honey?

    ReplyDelete
  14. I have a weakness for beautiful jam, and this one's in that category. This small batch is perfect for making on a lazy Saturday morning, just in time to have it for breakfast on Sunday. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hands waving in the air! And I am way too lazy these days to pull out my dehydrator and make fruit leather. ROASTED strawberries. I am under the dreaming spell. However, I may have to go roasted peaches or whatever I can find fresh at the farmers' market. Color me seduced.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I wish I could still find some fresh strawberries! The jam looks to die for!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Qué rico !!! debe tener un sabor delicioso y con pan mmm... !!!
    Saludso

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love when kitties do that! Oh, and I also love fruit leathers! Never made them myself though.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh, that's just tooo cute! Love a goof kitty pic.

    ReplyDelete
  20. This looks so good and delicious...I love this...Will try it soon...Thanks for the recipe...Visit my blog too...

    Aarthi
    http://yummytummy-aarthi.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  21. Amazing jam! And very cute kitty. Ours is pretty nuts, but she doesn't sleep with her tongue out!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Umm Heather. These photos are pretty much beyond amazing. I'm in love. I'd be in love with the idea of this jam anyway...but the photos of are totally solidifying that love for me.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Your jam is delectable. I am roasting my next batch of strawberries and making this. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Your jam looks gorgeous! It's such a vibrant shade of ruby red. And it sounds so much easier than making traditional jam. One question: how long approximately does it take in the oven?

    ReplyDelete
  25. Those strawberries look so fantastic - juicy and delicious, especially on the croissant!

    ReplyDelete
  26. @kyleen...oh geez, sorry about that. I added it in...it takes ~2 hours =)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Roasted Strawberries! That must be awesome in your mouth.

    Thanks for sharing this idea.

    Mely

    ReplyDelete
  28. I don't know what or who is sweeter,but the jam is almost as sweet as the other two faces on your post. Loved it.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I have never heard of roasted strawberries. I must admit I am intrigued.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Great recipe. Maybe a bit to time consuming for me. It looks so go that I will have to try it anyway.

    ReplyDelete
  31. What a cute kitty! But besides that, this looks delicious. I love croissants with jam like this. Mmmm.

    ReplyDelete
  32. oh this looks heavenly! i'm totally pinning this!

    ReplyDelete