My inspiration for this chocolate strawberry sauce was for a chocolate raspberry sauce I saw on Fresh Preserving’s website. It contained a lot of sugar – over 6 cups of it. And while I love raspberries, my body reminds me seeds are not my friend. So I got thinking, and adapted the concept to using Pomona’s Pectin, where I could use a lot less sweetener. I used our honey for the batch, but I include how to use sugar as well. And you’ll only need 2 cups sugar….so bonus there.
Chill the sauce before serving, it is phenomenal over ice cream.
Chocolate Strawberry Spread/Sauce
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds strawberries
- ¼ bottled lemon juice
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp Pomona’s Pectin
- 2 tsp calcium water*
- 1 cup honey (or 2 cups granulated sugar)
Directions:
Add 6 half pint (8 ounce) mason canning jars into a water bath canner. Fill jars with water and the pot about halfway up. Bring to a boil.
Add the bands and new lids to a small saucepan, cover with water. Bring to a simmer, turn off.
Meanwhile, wash berries well in a water/vinegar bath, drain and then cut off the tops of the strawberries and quarter into a large bowl. Mash up and measure 4 cups out. You won’t need all the berries most likely, but you will need at least 1.5 pounds.
Measure the honey into a bowl. Thoroughly mix pectin powder into the honey. Set aside. (If using sugar, measure into a bowl and stir dry pectin into it.)
In a large non reactive pot (such as stainless steel), add the strawberries, lemon juice, cocoa powder and calcium water. Bring to a boil, stirring often.
Add pectin-honey (or sugar) mix, stirring vigorously for 2 minutes to dissolve the pectin.
Return to a full boil, stirring often. Once the jam returns to a full boil, remove it from the heat.
Drain canning jars back into the pot, place on a clean kitchen towel. Sterilize ladle and funnel in the hot water.
Fill hot jars to ¼” of top. Wipe rims clean with a new damp paper towel. Place a drained lid on each jar, screw band on finger tight.
Place filled jars in canning pot, lower rack in. Make sure the jars are covered with water. Bring to a boil, and maintain boil 10 minutes (add 1 minute more for every 1,000 ft. above sea level).
Remove jars from water. Let jars cool on a clean kitchen towel. Remove bands and wash, check seals on jars; lids should be sucked down.
Consume within 1 year, once opened eat within 3 weeks and keep in refrigerator after opening. Stir well upon opening.
Notes:
You can use whatever size mason jars you have on hand. Makes about 6 cups. If using sugar, consider adding in a 7th mason jar just in case.
*Calcium water is made from the second packet in the Pomona’s box. It is mixed with water, 1 packet to ½ cup water, I make it in a small mason jar. The leftover water can be stored in the refrigerator for months for further projects.
~Sarah