Now that we have osmanthus perfume, why not try a bottle of osmanthus jam too?

Many people like to make their own osmanthus jam, hoping to preserve the fragrance of osmanthus for a long time. Today, let's explain in detail the specific methods and key essentials of making osmanthus jam at home, as well as what uses the finished osmanthus jam has and how to eat it.

Picking fresh osmanthus

You can use either fresh or dried osmanthus to make homemade osmanthus jam, but of course the fresher the osmanthus, the better.

It is best to pick fresh osmanthus in the morning, and even better to pick it while there is still dew on the osmanthus. The freshly picked osmanthus should be placed in a breathable bamboo basket. After bringing it home, you should start working on it as soon as possible; the longer it sits, the more fragrance is lost.

Processing the osmanthus

Remove the flower stems, leaves and other debris from the fresh osmanthus brought home, and throw away any osmanthus that has already wilted or deteriorated. Then sift out the fine dust particles and small flower stems. Finally, rinse the fresh osmanthus clean, spread it out in a cool, ventilated place to dry off the raw water; using an electric fan to blow it dry is faster.

If using dried osmanthus, add a small amount of cold boiled water or warm boiled water and soak until softened, then drain the water before using it to make osmanthus jam.

Salting the osmanthus

Put the processed osmanthus into a clean large basin, sprinkle in a little fine salt, mix well and marinate for about 10 minutes. The purpose of salting is to sterilize and disinfect, and to promote dehydration of the osmanthus; another purpose is to enhance sweetness. But the amount of salt must absolutely not be too much. Usually, 1 bowl of osmanthus with 1 small pinch of fine salt is appropriate, just slightly salty.

Sterilizing the container

For homemade osmanthus jam, a sealable glass bottle is usually chosen. Scrub it clean, then put it in boiling water and boil for about 10 minutes. Take it out and let it drain upside down before use; the bottle cap must also be boiled for sterilization.

Filling the bottle and sealing

After the marinating is finished, you can really start making the osmanthus jam. The more commonly used recipes and methods are as follows:

1. Honey osmanthus jam: First take an appropriate amount of osmanthus and spread it at the bottom of the bottle, then pour a layer of honey over the osmanthus, then spread more and pour more. After the bottle is basically full, cover and seal it, but be sure to leave a little space at the top.

2. Sugar osmanthus jam: The method and steps are the same as above, just replace the honey with white granulated sugar. You can also cook the white granulated sugar into a thick syrup to replace the honey.

3. Flavored osmanthus jam: Tear an appropriate amount of preserved plum flesh into thin shreds, mix well with the osmanthus, and then bottle it according to the above method.

Refrigerated fermentation

Put the sealed glass bottle in the refrigerator's cold storage compartment. Under refrigerated conditions, ferment for more than 7 days before eating. During fermentation, the osmanthus will float up, so the bottle needs to be turned over frequently.

Key operation points：

The salt must be a small amount, and the amount of sugar or honey should also be controlled well. Too much salt or too high a sweetness will mask the fragrance of the osmanthus.

How to eat osmanthus jam

The finished osmanthus jam can be used as fruit jam, spread on bread slices and other foods or brewed as tea. It can also be used as an ingredient for making tangyuan, mooncakes, sesame cakes, pastries and candied fruits, or as a seasoning for sweet soups and other dishes. In addition, sugar osmanthus jam and honey osmanthus jam have different tastes. Personally, I feel sugar osmanthus jam is more suitable as a filling for Chinese-style pastries.

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