Vanilla-Rhubarb Jam with Earl Grey from Food in Jars

I had never seriously considered making my own jam before met Marissa McClellan author of the wonderful blog Food in Jars, and upcoming cookbook from Running Press with the same name. I designed the book, and it was one of those projects that really made an impact on me. After reading the manuscript it was impossible not to want to attempt some sort of preserving. When we did the photo shoot I couldn't resist sampling a bit of every jam, jelly, marmalade, pickles, and all of the other amazingly good stuff in the book. And after watching Marissa do a demo on how to make her Strawberry-Vanilla Jam, I was pretty sure I could do it too. 
So, it being springtime, what better choice than rhubarb? There are two rhubarb jam recipes in the book, and one for jelly. I went with the Vanilla-Rhubarb Jam with Earl Grey because I can never get enough vanilla, and it's so, so good. It was fairly easy to make and now that I've made it, I can't imagine not making more of it. Try it and see! For more resources, check out www.foodinjars.com.

VANILLA-RHUBARB JAM WITH EARL GREY from Food in Jars

Makes 4 (1-pint/500 ml) jars

8 cups chopped rhubarb
(about 3 pounds/1.4 kg rhubarb stalks)
4 cups/800 g granulated sugar
1 cup/240 ml double-strength brewed Earl Grey tea
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
Juice of 1 lemon
Pinch salt
1 (3-ounce/85 ml) packet liquid pectin

Prepare a boiling water bath and 4 regular-mouth 1-pint/500 ml jars
according to the process on page 10. Place the lids in a small saucepan,
cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.
In a large, nonreactive pot, combine the rhubarb, sugar, and tea and bring
to a boil. Add the vanilla bean and seeds, lemon juice, and salt to the pot
and let the mixture bubble gently over medium-high heat for 15 to 20
minutes, stirring regularly, until the rhubarb has broken down.
Add the packet of liquid pectin and increase the heat to high, to bring the
jam up to a rolling boil. Let the jam boil vigorously for 3 to 4 minutes,
stirring frequently to prevent the bottom from burning.
Remove the pot from the heat and ladle the jam into the prepared jars. Wipe
the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for
10 minutes.

DIY Vanilla Extract & Rose Raspberry Sandwich Cookies

I find myself constantly buying vanilla extract- those tiny, expensive bottles go so quickly and it seems I'm always down to the last drops at the worst possible moment.  So I figured why not make my own? It does take ages, but it's easy as pie and cost-effective in the long run. All you do is stick 2 vanilla beans in a pint jar and fill it with vodka. Then you wait for a few months, shaking it every week or so. I'll put more photos up once it's further along and has developed some color. It'll be useful for things like the sandwich cookies above. The cookies are terribly delicious and addictive; buttery and sweet and filled with rose-raspberry buttercream- need I say more?

DIY VANILLA EXTRACT

2 vanilla beans

1 pint of vodka

Split each vanilla bean in half with a sharp knife but leave a tiny bit connected at the end. Put the vanilla beans in a mason jar and fill with the vodka; then just shake every once in a while and store in a dark, cool place for 3 months or longer. It's supposed to last for years.  

ROSE RASPBERRY SANDWICH COOKIES 

COOKIES 
1 cup butter softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

 

ROSE RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM 
3 cups confectioners sugar

1/3 cup butter softened

1/4 cup raspberries

1 teaspoon rose flower water

1 tablespoon milk 

Combine the butter, sugar, and egg in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Add the milk and vanilla and continue to mix well. Then add flour and baking powder and beat until well mixed. Divide dough into three balls, wrap each in plastic food wrap and flatten slightly. Refrigerate them until they're firm about 2 to 3 hours. 

Preheat the oven to 400. 

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface, one-third at a time until it's approximately 1/4-inch thick. Keep the remaining dough refrigerated! Make cutouts with 3-inch cookie cutters, or the rim of a glass works well if you don't have the right cookie cutter. Place your circles about an inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 6 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let them cool on a wire rack.
Combine the confectioners sugar, butter, raspberries, rose flower water and milk in a mixing bowl. Beat at low speed until it's totally smooth and creamy. Frost one half of the cooled cookies and place the remaining unfrosted ones on top. 

 

Try not to eat too many. Don't say you weren't warned.