If you have a mulberry tree you are likely swamped with them right now.
I’ve made mulberry crumble, mulberry cake, mulberry syrup, mulberry ice cream and this delicious mulberry chia jam. The worst thing I made this week though was a gigantic mess – whilst straining liquid through a cloth to make the mulberry syrup, I squeezed it a bit too hard and it exploded, scattering mulberry pulp up the walls, on the ceiling, floors and my face and chest. The kind of mess that you know needs quick action, but the scale of it has you frozen not knowing where to begin! Dishwashing liquid removed the bulk of the mess, and then I used white vinegar to hopefully break down the last of the pigment. Learn from my mistakes – if you need to strain mulberry pulp, just stick to a sieve!
There was no mess making this mulberry chia jam – you might have seen the raspberry version before and it easily adapted to the mulberries. It is not as sweet as a traditional jam, but is a nutritious alternative.
- 500g fresh mulberries
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 3 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp chia seeds
STEP 1
Put the mulberries in a saucepan with the vanilla and honey. Cook over a low heat for approximately 5 minutes, or until the berries have broken down.
STEP 2
Add the chia seeds, stir through and cook for 10 minutes.
STEP 3
Set aside to cool completely – It will thicken significantly once cool. Spoon into a bowl or sterilised jar, will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Enjoy on toast, topped on porridge or swirled through yogurt.
