Love your leftovers! Thankfully, there are many delicious ways to use jam and those last few spoonfuls can go a long way to add flavour and yum.
I’m a waste-not kinda girl so I’m happy to ‘eat my pantry’ so to speak, to use rather than waste, any last scrapings from the jam jar. If you are like me, you’ll have a couple of jams on the go then find yourself with several half empty jars taking up room in the fridge.
Many have found my 25 Delicious Ways to use Leftover Relish blog, now here’s my jam version!
Try these for size, in no particular order.
What to do with leftover Jam
#1. Jam & Cheese Toasties: Yes you heard right. Jam and cheese go together like….well, like jam and cheese! If this is a new flavour combination for you, just ask around – you’ll be surprised how many folk really enjoy it in a sandwich. Now, up the ante with a crispy toasted sandwich with creamy melted cheese and a hint of sweet jam, your ultimate grilled sammie.
#2. Oat Balls: Better still, PBJ Oat Balls! Rather than adding jam to the mix, add a dob of frozen jam into the centre of your favourite bliss ball while rolling. Frozen? Yes, it helps keep its form rather than be a big gooey mess. FIND RECIPE
#3. Muffin Surprise: You know, you baked them…but friends and family will enjoy a surprise centre. Half pour your muffin batter, drop a teaspoonful of your favourite jam or curd in the middle, then top up the muffin mould with more batter. Really delicious. The options are endless but here are a few: Crumble Top Lemon Curd Muffins and Jammy Coconut Muffins
#4. Jam Icing: Instead of using food colouring and flavouring, add a spoonful (or two) of jam to your next batch of icing. Mix the jam in first then make up the texture by adding water in small quantities until you’ve reached your preferred consistency. A fruity way to add colour and texture with the seeds. Yum! FIND RECIPE
#5. Homemade Vinaigrette: Create a homemade tangy vinaigrette in minutes. Some vinaigrettes call for sugar as an ingredient, but use jam instead like I did with this Blackberry Vinaigrette although you can use any jam you choose. FIND RECIPE
#6. Fruity Yoghurt: Perfect for those who make homemade plain yoghurt, swirl or mix jam vigorously in a small bowl as you require it. Flavouring it as required means you can have a new flavour every time. Delicious on the side of a dessert or dolloped on your cereal.
#7. Sweeten up Meats: We know a teaspoon of brown sugar can add that ‘yum’ factor to mince, right? Apply the same to a casserole, slow cooked casserole or a cooked-from-scratch gravy to add a hint of sweet. Whether it’s a berry jam with red wine to make a jus, or apricot jam with chicken, or peach jam with pork….yum!
#8. Baked Camembert: A delicious way to serve soft cheeses, oozing gooey cheesiness for a nibble’s platter. Place a small wheel of soft cheese (Camembert or brie work well) topped with a couple of spoonfuls of a dark berry jam, into the centre of a sheet of flaky pastry. Wrap, bake until golden brown then enjoy with crusty bread or crackers. FIND RECIPE
#9. Cereal Topper: Atop bircher muesli, dollop on porridge, adorn a breakfast bowl or layer into a breakfast parfait.
#10. Jam Cocktails: Yes! Add to a cocktail – marmalade with whiskey or gin, plum or raspberry with vodka, topped with soda water. Delicious! You will need to shake then strain them though otherwise you’ll get lumps and an uneven disbursement of flavour. FIND RECIPES
#11. Popsicles: Just three ingredients (and more if you want to get creative): blend coconut milk and jam together, before pouring into moulds laden with and fresh fruit pieces.
#12. Fill your Baking Tin: Jam is perfect for thumbprint cookies, sandwich cookies or sponge cake (jammed together, literally), Louise Slice, bliss balls, pinwheel scones or fill a tart or too.
#13. Chicken or Pork Stuffing: pair a generously slather of apricot jam with cream cheese in the centre of a chicken breast, or a dark berry jam with pork, before rolling and skewering with toothpicks. Bake to perfection – yum!
#14. Smoothies: add a dollop of your favourite jam an extra touch of sweetness.
#15. Chocolate Filling: make your own jam-filled chocolates (using melted chocolate layer the outer shell, then fill will jam).
#16. Seafood Glaze: jam is the magic ingredient for a summer Salmon Glaze. FIND RECIPE
#17. Pair with Crepes, Pancakes and Waffles: Spread a thin layer of your favourite jam, with a dollop of cream if you are feeling feisty, roll then eat.
#18. Pudding Perfect: whether it be an Eton Mess (layered smashed meringues, cream and jam in a glass), Fruit Fool (layered yoghurt, fruit and jam), or a Trifle in a Jar there’s always a dessert recipe that can benefit from a little jam. FIND RECIPE
#19. Baking Glaze: A fruity/jammy glaze is delicious on top of a cake or cheesecake, or tossed with sliced apple for a galette. Heat jam on the stove with a little water until it’s diluted and melted, then brush on before baking.
#20. Chicken Marinade: Melt jam (with water as you would a baking glaze) and base your chicken legs or wings with your favourite jam. Keep refrigerated while marinating, and bake to perfection. Apricot jam with chicken…perfect.
#21: Ham Glaze: Too delicious NOT to make yourself, ham glazes traditionally use jams or marmalades to add extra basting flavour. FIND RECIPE
#22. Jam up your Cakes: Whether making a marble cake or a Ripple Cake, or folded gently through a brownie batter, jams and curds add that extra special touch. FIND Rhubarb Raspberry Ripple Tea Cake RECIPE
#23. Flavour Ice cream: Transform plain vanilla ice-cream with a jammy ripple. Partially melt ice-cream, swirl through jam then refreeze before serving. Alternatively you can make a semi-freddo or ice-cream jammy sandwiches (ice cream and jam between your two favourite cookies).
#24. Fruit Dipper: Make a cream cheese and jam dipper for a fruit platter. At room temperature, mix cream cheese and and greek yoghurt (equal quantities), a squeeze of lemon juice, and spoonfuls of jam to taste. Mix well before serving.
#25. Jam Straws: Spread jam over sweet or flaky pastry, slice and twist before baking – or fold into pockets. A delicious jammy snack.
