Homemade, natural and without pectin, this three-ingredient french peach jam will be your new jam favorite.
I am sharing a recipe, tips, and tricks on how to make an all-natural peach jam further below.
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TL;DR
Homemade Jams in France are still very much the norm, and the French technique involves cooking the jam in a clean environment without canning the jars at the end.
I am a great homemade jam lover, and today it shall be my mum's french peach jam recipe, which is, of course, without artificial pectin.
To get up in the morning and to receive my daily dose of inspiration, I prepare something that we in French call a tartine.
It's basically a bread slice covered with butter and jam, just that in my case I completely and always skip the butter so that I am left with a slice of sweet homemade jam.
This peach jam gives you a taste of a French tartine for breakfast!
Ingredients
This jam is all natural, traditional and includes only fresh fruit and sugar.
- Peach — the freshest peaches that you can find. Frozen peaches can be used as well. That can be regular round peaches or flat Saturn-type peaches. I used garden-fresh peaches that we harvest by mid-August in the Austrian alps.
- Lemon or Lime — Citrus fruits naturally contain a good amount of pectin, which helps your jam to set (and that prolongs its shelf life). We use the freshly squeezed out juice and the lemon or lime halves because the skin has all the pectin. For that reason, you need to use only lemons or limes that have not been sprayed with pesticides. Some countries label organic lemons as pesticide-free.
- Sugar — Normal sugar. Sugar helps in preserving your fruits. If you skip, switch sugar or reduce the quantity, your jam won't last.
If you switch the sugar with honey or some other sweetener, be prepared to eat the jam within days. Sugar is the best jam preservative.
How to make it?
Making jam with fresh peaches is super easy! I have outlined the steps below so that you get an idea how it's done from scratch.
The complete recipe with measurement options and detailed steps is located at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
Step 1
Rinse fruits to get rid of impurities and pat dry. Cut into half, take out pit.
Cut peaches into quarters and take off the peel with your fingers.
Weigh fruits.
Step 2
Place fruits, sugar, lemon juice and lemon halves into a large jam pot and stir.
Bring to a rolling boil and simmer.
Cook down until fruits appear glossy and translucent.
Step 3
Take out lemon halves and blend jam to desired consistency.
Leave to simmer until set.
Test if set with ice-cold plate by dropping hot jam on the plate. If it doesn't run, it's set and ready.
Step 4
Pour jam into clean jars.
Pour rum or other liquor into lids to kill germs, close jars with lids, and turn upside down to create a vacuum.
📖 Recipe
French Peach Jam Recipe
Ingredients
For the Jam:
Instructions
- Rinse peaches and pat dry. Cut into half and take out the pit. Cut further into quarters and peel your peaches.2.2 Pounds Peach
- Weigh Peaches.
- Place peeled peaches into a large jam pan. Add sugar, lemon juice, and the cut squeezed out lemon halves.3⅓ Cups Sugar, 1 Lemon
- Stir the ingredients together and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to simmer for at least 40–50 minutes, or until the fruits appear glossy and translucent.
- Take out the lemon halves and discard them. Blend your jam with a hand blender to desired consistency.
- Keep the jam to simmer further until the jam has set. Test if the jam is set by dropping hot jam on an ice-cold plate. Move around the plate to see if the cooling jam is running. If it's running, cook further down and repeat the test until it's set and you are satisfied with the result.
- Before you fill the jars with the jam, drop little rum (or other liquor) into the lid. That will help in keeping the jam germ and mold growth free.
- Fill your clean jam jars with the hot peach jam, close well with the lid and turn the jar upside down.
- Keep them upside down for a few hours and then store them in a dry and cool place and keep away from direct sunlight. If you live in a humid tropical climate, please store the jam in the fridge.
Notes
- 1 serving = 1 teaspoon, 80 servings = about 3 jars of jam, roughly.
- Use untreated lemons (no pesticides) to add to your jam. I prefer fresh fruits vs. bottles lemon juice because I don't know what they add to those bottles.
- Don't reduce the sugar quantity in the recipe. Sugar helps in preserving your jam and if you reduce it, your jam won't last (which beats the purpose of a fruit preserve). The fruit and sugar ratio is perfect as is!
Equipment
- Rum or other liquor
Nutrition
Flavor Variations
You can flavor your homemade peach jam by adding any of the following ingredients to your jam during the cooking process:
- grated ginger for an oriental or fall flavored jam
- chopped jalapeño for a hot spicy version
- rum or any other booze like whiskey or vodka
- pinch of spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, and vanilla
Storing
Make sure to work in a clean environment and use only sterilized jars. You can sterilize your jars and lids by boiling them in hot water to kill all germs.
If you followed my instructions with the rum in the lids and the turning upside down, your jam will last for at least 1 year.
You can also preserve your jars further by canning them, but it's not a must. This adds another layer of safety.
The French method (which is common in Europe), simply calls for turning your jars upside down.
That creates a vacuum, and that is how it's still done today in France. Water bath canning is only done with whole fruits in France and neighboring countries.
Store your jam jars in a dry place, away from direct sunlight and heat, on a shelf or in your pantry.
Once you open a jar, keep in the fridge (because you unsealed it, and you used a spoon in it).
FAQs
You can use a tasty peach variety that you enjoy, preferably fresh or also frozen.
I don't leave the skin on the peaches because we don't like the texture of the skin in our jam, but if you like, you can keep the skin on. It's up to you!
The riper, the better, but the fruits shouldn't be spoiled. Spoiled fruits result in a jam that doesn't keep well. Use only healthy ripe peaches to make a peach jam. Hard peaches are not a great choice because they are difficult to peel. Ripe peaches are easier to peel.
Lemons are high in natural pectin, that includes the juice and mostly the skin. Pectin helps in setting your jam. For that reason, I add lemon juice and the lemon halves (which I remove after the cooking process) to my jam recipes. Besides, lemon juice compliments the peach flavors.
Your jam is runny if it didn't set properly. Additionally, keep in mind that peaches are super low in natural pectin, so the jam takes longer to cook down to setting point. If your jam is, runny, take it back to the heat and cook it down further until set. Test if set with the help of an ice-cold plate. Drop some hot jam on the cold plate and move it around. The jam will cool down instantly, and you will be able to see whether it's still running or not.
Your peach jam is dark, if you cooked it down too much. This can happen when you are preparing jam for the first time or when you thought your hot liquid jam wasn't set. Jam when set will always appear liquid when hot. Only when it cools down, it will show its true consistency. Nonetheless, dark peach jam is still good and tastes great, it's just darker.
Do you store them upside down or do you turn them once they seal?
Hi Terri, you can keep them upside down for about 20 minutes or so and then turn them back with the lid up to store them. Don't keep them all too long upside down or else you will have a vacuum pocket forming at the bottom when the jam has cooled down. It's best to still turn the jar back when the jam is still warm. I hope this helps.
Can this jam be frozen instead of canned?
Yes you can freeze the jam too.
How long does this method keep in storage?
If you followed all the steps, clean jars, setting point, storing place, upside down vacuum technique, then the jam will be good for 10 months unopened. Keep them in the fridge once opened and use them within weeks.
Why is this called a french jam recipe?
Pectin is in all fruits and is needed to set the jam. Some fruits contain more pectin than others.
Because this is my grandmother's and my mum's recipe and they are french. It's how it's done in France. Regular sugar is used in jams and to avoid confusions I call it simply a french peach jam. Also, jams in France are not canned, the way they are canned in the US for example.
Can you double the recipe
You can but I recommend using the 2.2 pound/1kg fruit quantity, especially if you are new to jam making. It's easier to deal with that quantity because you can easier get the setting point right. Working with larger quantities can make it more difficult. Larger quantities are also better with copper pans because the jam gets cooked through more evenly. Copper transmits heat more equally.
You have revolutionized my jam making. Actually...you have reactivated it. I had just quit making jam...the kids were all grown and gone...too much bother...didn't need all that sugar...blah, blah! But seeing how easy it is using lemons for the pectin and just filling the jars up and turning them upside down...how easy it that?!?!? I have made blueberry, blackberry, fig, mango and peach jams using your method. We have a boarder who makes lovely sourdough bread, and these jams coordinate well with his breads. And those lucky few who have been the recipients of my jams have been blown away by the flavor. Thanks!!!
Hi Sandra, thanks so much for your lovely comment. You made my day. I'm so glad to know that you guys have been enjoying the jam recipes. I hope to share a video for every jam recipe in the future. Some already have a how to video, others are still missing one. Cheers!
For those using Imperial measurements the converter is wrong! I look forward to making this with the right amount of sugar - luckily I use grams!
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for pointing out the incorrect imperial measurements. I fixed the US and metric converter and both are showing now the correct amount for each ingredient.
This looks delicious!!
Ooh, I don't have a peach jam recipe!! And a friend of mine just bought an enormous box of peaches and is doling them out! I'm putting my hand up for a stash now!!
Hi there, I hope you are doing well. Love your recipe, and the exclusion of pectin. I miss peach season here, enjoy! Hugs, Terra
Nothing beats a homemade jam especially when it's passed through generations. Your peach jam looks amazingly delicious.
Wow, what a shiny glossy Jam Helene! I am not a big fan of peaches, but can have them in sweets and preserves. This one is a keeper certainly!
Love your scales btw 😉
You are so lucky to have peaches in your life these days.... I will save this until next summer when peaches come back into season here. 🙂
Wow!! this looks super tempting!!I can spread this jam on almost everything!!
Can you imagine I have a peach jam recipe in queue, I just haven't had a chance to photograph it! Your Mum's version sounds delicious, I love jams without pectin. The Hungarians have a similar breakfast, a thick slice of homemade bread, unsalted butter and jam (or honey) mmmmmmmm.
Can you imagine I have a peach jam recipe in queue, I just have had a chance to photograph it! Your Mum's version sounds delicious, I love jams without pectin. The Hungarians have a similar breakfast, a thick slice of homemade bread, unsalted butter and jam (or honey) mmmmmmmm.
Ooh this looks delicious!I love peaches and have always wanted to make jams but never attempted.Your recipe might have inspired me 🙂 Love the beautiful color and can imagine the deliciousness on a warm toast!mmmmm...
Wow!! That jam looks so so yummy,,
Peach jam sounds good and tasty. Looking forward to try my hand. Thanks for dropping in my blog. Keep visiting. Its my pleasure to watch your space too:)
Aweee...that picture of beautiful juicy Peaches on the tree! Love the colour of jam...getting lots of peaches in market and am trying my hands on peach jam.
I love peaches and your peach jam looks perfect. I'll have to wait until they're back in season again to try this unless I try it with frozen peaches. Thanks for sharing.
SO gorgeous! And having it on my toast would remind me of summer peaches all year long 🙂
Wow....! perfectly made peach jam.....I'm gonna try this 🙂
I grew up eating toast with Woodapple jam and butter- so I love your idea of breakfast! And helene - this pectin free jam looks absolutely fabulous - nothing like homemade jam!
Happy to follow ur blog, do visit my place too 🙂
I love your scales! What a beautiful jam and how excellent that it's made without pectin. I haven't had peach jam but I've had lots of apricot jam and I imagine they're fairly similar. What a beautiful jam it is xx
The scale is my mum's =D
Thanks!
Your jam looks so good! I wish we had fruit trees in our garden but sadly we don't have the space 🙂
G'day! LOVE peach jam and can almost smell it from here Helene! YUM!
Great photos too! Pinned and shared!
Cheers! Joanne
I must buy another miniature peach tree just to make jam, your jam looks gorgeous and I love family recipes, I will definitely be trying this recipe. Cheers, Theresa
I don't know which is better - apricot jam or peach jam. Love them both!! A great looking jam Helene!
Lovely Peaches in your Garden. I love the thought of picking your own home grown veggies and fruits for cooking. Peaches could be replaced with Strawberries too I suppose.
Hi Helene, I love the idea of picking my own fruits and veggies and making something wonderful out of them. The color of your jam is beautiful!
I always thought a tartine was a sandwich without a top. 🙂 I'd take this any day. So why no pectin? Have I missed that? 🙂
A Tartine is simply a slice of bread topped with butter jam, honey nutella. =D
Maureen thanks for the question!
Why no pectin...
-Traditional french recipes do not use pectin sugar and a jam with pectin sugar is just different and doesn't taste authentic. Of course one can always add lemon peel, crab apple or other fruits which are rich in pectin to a jam while cooking but it's not always necessary.
-Another reason why without pectin, simply because it's difficult to get pectin sugar in India. At least with regular sugar anybody will be able to recreate the jam in such a way so that the jam will preserve for months. =)
I have always wanted to try my hand at making jam! This looks so good!
Your jam looks absolutely gorgeous! Peach is a perfect flavour for summer 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Oh, Helene, I'm a jam fanatic! A Persian breakfast, in my family, includes bread, feta and jam. And nothing beats a piece of bread with homemade jam slathered all over it with a beautiful hot cup of tea... my heaven!
Your jam makes me dream of summer and peaches I love so much... I cannot swallow anything sweet in the morning, but I love jams for afternoon tea or in cakes.
Your story made me laugh because I have met so many French people who cannot understand how anyone can eat anything savoury for breakfast... Everything depends on the way we were brought up and maybe climate, as you say, but I think I must have been Japanese in my previous life: whenever I go to Japan and see rice, miso soup and pickles at the buffet table, I am in heaven... I could eat such breakfast every single day of my life (from time to time I'd add a piece of grilled fish..).
Homemade jam is the BEST! Your peach jam looks scrumptious, Helene.
It looks delicious! I love peach jam.
Cheers,
Rosa