When I was developing the recipe for the Low-Carb Linzer Hearts, I needed some raspberry jam for filling the cookies. Initially I used commercial sugar-free raspberry jam, but it was far too sweet for my taste. And I like sweet! Since the jam was sweetened with grape juice, the carb count was also relatively high. And, I’m not comfortable using jams sweetened with Splenda or NutraSweet, so those didn’t come into question either. Therefore, I wanted to develop a fruity and fresh home-made sugar-free raspberry jam, which is also very low in carbs.
Easy Sugar-Free Raspberry Jam
1 lb = 455 g frozen raspberries (preferably organic)
1/3 cup = 80 mlConfectioner’s Style Swerve OR powdered erythritol
40 dropsvanilla stevia
2 pinches = 2 mlxanthan
Directions
- Put the raspberries, the sweetener and the vanilla stevia in a medium saucepan. Sprinkle the xanthan evenly on top.
- Place the saucepan on the stove and start heating over medium high heat, stirring constantly.
- When the mixture starts steaming, turn the heat to the minimum.
- Cook the mixture stirring often (at least every half a minute) until the consistency is to your liking. You can crush the berries with the back of the mixing spoon if you like. Smooth-textured jam is easier to use as filling.
- Turn off the heat, put the saucepan aside, cover, and let the jam cool down completely.
- Store the ready jam tightly covered in the fridge.
| Nutrition information | Protein | Fat | Net carbs | kcal |
| In total: | 4.5 g | 3.6 g | 18.6 g | 133 kcal |
| Per tablespoon (0.5 oz = 15 g): | 0.2 g | 0.1 g | 0.6 g | 5 kcal |
| Per teaspoon (0.18 oz = 5 g): | 0.1 g | 0.0 g | 0.2 g | 2 kcal |
Tips for making the sugar-free raspberry jam
The jam is so easy and quick to make, that I guess there is no need for advice. One thing though, which might help: it’s better to be careful when using xanthan, as always. 2 pinches (2 ml) is enough. If you add more, your jam might turn into slime.
I didn’t make this jam too sweet, so if you need more sweetness, add liquid steviato your liking.
The longer you cook the jam, the sweeter it gets and it also loses some of its fruity, fresh flavor. The color also turns darker. Be sure to cook the mixture over very low heat, so that the jam doesn’t burn. If cooked at too high temperature, the mixture also bubbles vigorouslyand the scalding jam is spreading and shooting in all directions. For me the total cooking time is approximately 15 minutes, so this jam is quickly made, even over very low heat.
My experiences when developing the sugar-free raspberry jam
First I was hesitating to make any jam, because last summer when I made a raspberry jam experiment, it was a total disaster. Acatastrophe, I would say. So, now I wanted to try a totally different approach. No more erythritol crystals which would crystallize into rock hard lumps while cooling, no more guar gum which would make the jam disgustingly slimy.
Luckily I tried, my first experiment was the best. I simply combined 1 lb (455 g) frozen raspberries, 1/3 cup (80 ml) powdered Zsweet sweetener, 40 drops vanilla stevia and 2 pinches (2 ml) xanthan. The resulting jam was sweet yet fresh in flavor, and the consistency was smooth and thick, but not too thick. And what was the best, I didn’t register any sliminess. Perfect!
Still, I wanted to continue researching a bit. In my next experiment I combined 1 lb (455 g) frozen raspberries, one lengthwise cut vanilla pod with scraped seeds, 2/3 cup (160 ml) powdered Zsweet sweetener and 2 pinches (2 ml) xanthan. This experimentproduced a nice jam, but the first experiment was simply heavenly, alsofor my family’s liking.
Tips for variation and serving suggestions
In case you are running out of vanilla stevia, you can use 30 drops unflavored liquid steviaand add either 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or one lengthwise split vanilla pod with scraped seeds. If you prefer sweeter jam, add more liquid stevia.
A real warming kick you get by adding a tiny pinch of chili powder. Add the chili powder together with the other ingredients.
You can use the sugar-free raspberry jam as you would use sugar-laden raspberry jam:
- On top of low-carb pancakes (add some whipped cream as well!)
- As filling or frosting for low-carb muffins and cupcakes
- As dip for low-carb cookies
- As tasty combination with the Simple and Easy Low-Carb Lemon Curd
- As cookie filling; especially great with the Low-Carb Linzer Hearts
- For breakfast or dessert with plain Greek or Turkish yogurt. You can also add some chopped nuts on top.
- For raspberry fool: mix or layer some raspberry jam and whipped cream. For a real treat, sprinkle plenty of dark chocolate shavings or coarsely chopped low-carb cookies on top. You can add some fresh raspberries, too. Makes a simple but great dessert!
Related posts:
Sugar-Free Strawberry JamJust Like Sugar-Free Cloudberry Jam (Vegan)Festive Strawberry Melon Cups Low-Carb Style (Dairy-Free, Vegan)
