Bellini Jam

Ingredients

• 4 pounds frozen peaches, defrosted
• 1 cup decent quality champagne
• 1 pound white sugar, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons juice from 1 to 2 lemons
• 1/2 teaspoon butter

Directions

1. Put a small plate in the freezer now; you’ll use it later to check whether the jam has set. Sterilize your jars and lids. Add the peaches to a food processor and pulse until they’re nicely chopped, about five or six 1-second pulses. If you like your jam with bigger pieces of fruit, stop while the peaches are still a little chunkier.
2. Transfer the peaches to a deep, heavy-bottomed pot. Stir in the champagne and 1/4 cup of white sugar, then cover the pot and let everything sit for 1 hour.
3. Add the remaining sugar, salt, lemon juice, and butter. Set the pot over medium heat and cook, stirring now and then, until the fruit starts to bubble and spit a bit. Skim off any foam that rises with a skimmer. Continue cooking for about 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently so the fruit doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pot.
4. Start checking the jam. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of the cooked fruit onto the cold plate, then return the plate to the freezer. After 30 seconds, drag your finger through the fruit. The jam should be thick enough that the line you make stays put. If you want it thicker, put the plate back in the freezer, cook the fruit for another 4 minutes, and test again. Keep repeating until the texture is where you want it, but don’t let it go too long or the flavor of the jam will change.
5. Take the pot off the heat and skim any remaining foam from the top with a spoon. Ladle the jam into the sterilized jars, leaving 1/2-inch of headroom, then process the jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Unopened jars will keep at room temperature for up to 6 months. Once opened, refrigerate the jam.