Mango Saffron Jam

The freezer is full of mango slices for smoothies and cakes and my pantry now has a good supply of mango jam.  These little jars of jam spiced with saffron are perfect for gift giving.  A teaspoon of mango-saffron jam in a banana-mango smoothie is a terrific substitute for honey or sugar and makes a yummy filling for sponge cakes.  This jam takes 5-8 minutes to cook, has less sugar and jells in a snap with 1 pouch of Certo pectin.   I love the color of jams and jellies made with Certo pectin.  Because of the reduced cooking time, the color and clarity of jams and jellies made with Certo are brighter and the flavors are fresher.  Small batches also help to control the quality of color, flavor and the gel.  Plus the whole canning process is less of a chore when the batch is smaller.

Start by finding really ripe mangoes…they’re the sweetest.  They should be firm but not bruised and have a heavenly fragrance. The flavor of a mango is like a peach married to a papaya.  Always taste a slice to be sure they are sweet and the texture isn’t mushy.

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Easy Mango Bread with Native Mangoes

Mango Bread

It’s mango season here in Puerto Rico and they are plentiful after the winter rains.  Native Puerto Rican mangoes are so sweet when tree ripened and the fragrance just perfumes the air.  They’re all over the island and can be picked up along the interstate highways or picked right off the heavily laden trees surrounding the Balneario, board walk along the beach.   They make a lovely jam with saffron, smoothies with banana and yogurt, juice for rum punches, and quick breads.

The semi-ripe mangoes make a terrific hot chutney or salsa with Scotch Bonnet chilies and the little green mangoes make a tangy sweet and sour pickle reminiscent of Chinese pickled cherries.

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