Cardamom Ginger Spiced Nectarines

Cardamom Ginger Spiced Nectarines. Take your nectarines and preserve them with a twist! Add cardamom and ginger spices to liven up a batch or two.

 

Nectarines could be called the sweet half sister to peaches, they have all the taste, but none of the fuzz. Many people choose to use nectarines for preserving instead of peaches because their smooth skin cuts out a step in processing time.

Whether you choose to use them canned or dehydrated, nectarines are wonderful in a light syrup with added spices. This recipe for cardamom ginger spiced nectarines will become one of your favorites!

“A peach and a nectarine are very similar.  Genetically, there is not much difference between the two.  The main difference is that a peach has fuzz on its skin while a nectarine does not.” Michigan Peach.org

Adventurous? Try these other flavor combinations!

• Raspberry and Cinnamon Basil
• Blueberry and Mint
• Cardamom and Lime
• Ginger and Nutmeg
• Ginger and Lemon

NOTE: Honey is adult food, not suitable for children under 18 months old. Take that into consideration when you are doing your canning. Be sure that you properly mark the jars after processing so you will not share this batch with your little ones.

5 Ways to Use Spiced Nectarines

There is one wonderful thing about spicing and canning nectarines. It makes baking with them even easier. You can adapt these recipes to include already cooked nectarines. Keep in mind it will cut the processing time in half and the recipe may require less sweetener.

Triple Ginger Nectarine Jam from Food and Wine

Nectarine Puff Pastry Tarts from The Little Epicurean

Nectarine Upside-Down Cake from Damn Delicious

Use the instructions from Homespun Seasonal Living to make Spiced Nectarine Butter

Nectarine Crisp from  Modern Honey

Cardamom Ginger Spiced Nectarines

Makes 6, pint size jars

Ingredients:

• 8-10 nectarines
• 4 cups water
• ¾  cup honey or 1 cup sugar
• 1 ½  tsp. grated ginger ( ¼ tsp per jar)
• 6 teaspoons cardamom seed, crushed (1 teaspoon per jar)

Instructions:

1. Cut each nectarine in half, remove pit, and then cut each quarter into three slices or cut them into one-inch dices.
2. Optional: to keep the fruit from darkening, place the slices in water containing lemon juice, ascorbic acid. Use 3 grams ascorbic acid to 1 gallon of cold water. Drain.
3. To the bottom of each jar, add ¼ teaspoon fresh grated ginger, plus 1 teaspoon of crushed cardamom.
4. Pack the nectarine slices into 6, pint size jars, leaving ½ an inch of headspace from the top of the jar.
5. Boil 4 cups of water and add ¾ cup honey or 1 cup sugar to make a light syrup.
6. Cover the nectarines and spices with boiling light honey syrup, keeping the ½ inch headspace.
7. Cap the jars.

You can store the finished spiced nectarines in the refrigerator for two weeks. For longer storage, use the raw pack method and process the jars in a water bath canner for 25 minutes per pint, or 30 minutes per quart.