Swedish Cloudberry Jam Recipe
With its deep fruity flavor, sweet tang, and beautiful golden color, Cloudberry Jam or Bakeapple Jam, as it’s sometimes called, is the Rolls-Royce of jams!
You can also easily make this jam a seedless jelly! Making your own jam is so satisfying, and this classic Nordic recipe will have you off to a good start!
What are Cloudberries?
The cloudberry is not widely cultivated and is primarily a wild plant, which often makes it an expensive berry. You can pick them in the Northern forests and bogs of Sweden
It has its very own distinct flavor, which is almost impossible to describe, almost like a tangy apricot flavor, but with a deeper fruity flavor.
If you are lucky, you may find fresh cloudberries in your supermarket when it is picking season but frozen cloudberries are perfect for jam-making!
I dream of someday traveling to northern Sweden to pick and preserve my own wild cloudberries!
Other names for cloudberries
Some other common names for these golden berries include , Nordic berry, Bakeapple (northern Canada and United States), Golden berry, Knotberry and Knoutberry, Aqpik or Low-bush Salmonberry ( not to be confused with Salmonberry), and Averin or Evron in Scotland.
Ingredients
This recipe yields approximately half a liter/quart of jam.
- 1 Pound / 0.5kg Cloudberries – frozen or fresh berries
- 1 Pound/ 0.5 kg Jam sugar or Granulated sugar, and added pectin. You can also use lemon to help set your jam, I explain how to do this in the recipe variations below.
- 1/2 Cup/100ml Water
Equipment
- Well-cleaned jars and lids – I recommend using smaller jars to prolong the shelf life of your jam. Once opened, they will need to be kept in the fridge and consumed within about 2 weeks.
- A wide based pot
- Fine Sieve – if you wish to remove the seeds to make jelly.
- Food grade thermometer or small saucer for the saucer test.
How to make cloudberry jam or jelly
STEP 1. Start by placing a saucer in the fridge if you plan on doing the saucer test
Prepare your jars; It’s best if they are not sterilized too long in advance so they remain thoroughly clean.
METHOD 1: Wash them in hot, soapy water, rinse thoroughly, and dry in a hot oven at 160°C/ 320°F.
METHOD 2: Boil clean jars and their lids in a large pot of water for five minutes. Remove from the hot water using tongs and place upside down on a clean tea towel to dry.
Avoid touching the inside of the jars or the lids!
STEP 2. Add the cloudberries to a wide-based pot, along with a splash of cold water, approximately 1/2 cup (100ml) and bring to a boil over a low heat.
You can add more water later if you feel the fruit is too dry and risks sticking to the bottom of the pot.
To make cloudberry jelly
If you prefer a seedless jam, after its boiled for 5-10 minutes, pass the mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds.
Some fruit pulp might remain with the seeds, and you can use the back of a wooden spoon to push through as much juice as possible.
Remember to weigh the liquid and measure out an equal amount of sugar.
STEP 3. Add the sugar and stir to combine thoroughly before bringing it to a boil, keeping the heat low until the sugar has dissolved. Continue boiling for another 5-10 minutes, or until it reaches the setting point.
A foam might form on the surface of the jam. You can skim it off later with a spoon while the mixture is cooling.
STEP 4. Test your jam to see if it has reached the setting point using one of the methods below.
Using a thermometer to test the setting point
A food thermometer takes all the guesswork out of whether or not you have hit a jam-setting point. When the temperature of a boiling jam hits 105°C / 220°F, you know you can take the mixture off the heat.
The saucer trick
A useful trick if you don’t have a thermometer handy!
–Spoon a little jam onto a cooled saucer, let the jam cool in the fridge for a minute, and then push against the side of it with your finger. If the surface wrinkles, it means the pectin network has solidified, the setting point has been reached, and you should take the mixture off the heat.
STEP 5. Fill the hot, dry jars right to the top – preserves shrink slightly on cooling, and a full jar means less trapped condensation. Seal the jars while still hot.
Let the jars cool completely at room temperature for at least 4-8 hours, or preferably overnight. The jam will continue to set as it cools.
Check out more of my Swedish Recipes including Queens Jam, Swedish Lingonberry Jam, Blueberry Soup, Swedish Rosehip Soup (Nyponsoppa).
How to serve cloudberry jam
I love serving the tangy cloudberry jam with soft cheese or sour cream on freshly baked scones. It’s also fantastic for breakfast on a slice of toast or Swedish crisp bread. For a simple dessert, I sometimes whip up a cloudberry and raspberry swirl by combining cloudberry jam with whipped cream, fresh raspberries, meringue, and white chocolate flakes in a glass or bowl.
In Sweden, people often use cloudberry jam as a warm topping for vanilla ice cream, pancakes, and waffles. In Norway, they often mix cloudberry jam with whipped cream and sugar to create a dessert called Multekrem (cloudberry cream), or they add it as an extra ingredient to homemade vanilla ice cream.
Storage
Once your jars of cloudberry jam are completely cool and set, store any unopened jars in a cool, dark place (like a pantry) for up to 6 months. After opening a jar, keep it in the refrigerator and try to enjoy it within 2-3 weeks.
Variations
If you prefer to use regular granulated sugar instead of jam sugar (which contains pectin, citric acid and preservatives like potassium sorbet), a squeeze of fresh lemon can help your jam set beautifully. Lemons are naturally high in pectin, and their acidity also helps activate the pectin already present in the cloudberries. I usually add the juice of half a lemon (or a whole lemon if my berries seem less ripe) at the same time I add the sugar. For an extra pectin boost, you can even tie the squeezed lemon half (or just the rind) in a small muslin bag and boil it with the jam, removing it before jarring. It produces a lovely, soft jam that we really enjoy.
Swedish Cloudberry Jam Recipe
Equipment
- Well-cleaned jars and lids -Use smaller jars to prolong the shelf life of your jam. Once opened, they will need to be kept in the fridge and consumed within about 2 weeks.
- A wide based pot
- Fine sieve – if you wish to remove the seeds to make jelly.
- Food grade thermometer or small saucer for the saucer test.
Ingredients
- 1 Pound / 0.5kg Cloudberries – Frozen or fresh berries work well
- 1 Pound / 0.5 kg Jam sugar or Granulated sugar, and added pectin.
- ½ Cup 100ml Water
Instructions
Step 1
- Start by placing a saucer in the fridge if you plan on doing the saucer test an prepare your jars using one of the methods below.METHOD 1: Wash them in hot, soapy water, rinse thoroughly, and dry in a hot oven at 160°C/ 320°F.METHOD 2: Boil clean jars and their lids in a large pot of water for five minutes. Remove from the hot water using tongs and place upside down on a clean tea towel to dry.
Step 2
- Add the cloudberries to a wide-based pot, along with a splash of cold water, approximately 1/2 cup (100ml), and bring to a boil over a low heat.You can add more water later if you feel the fruit is too dry and risks sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- If you prefer a seedless jam, after its boiled for 5-10 minutes, pass the mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds. Some fruit pulp might remain with the seeds, and you can use the back of a wooden spoon to push through as much juice as possible. Remember to weigh the liquid and measure out an equal amount of sugar.
Step 3
- Add the sugar and stir to combine thoroughly before bringing it to a boil, keeping the heat low until the sugar has dissolved. Continue boiling for another 5-10 minutes, or until it reaches the setting point.
STEP 4
- Test your jam to see if it has reached the setting point using one of the methods below.METHOD 1:Use a thermometer to test the setting point. When the temperature of a boiling jam hits 105°C / 220°F, you know you can take the mixture off the heat.METHOD 2: Spoon a little jam onto a cooled saucer, let the jam cool in the fridge for a minute, and then push against the side of it with your finger. If the surface wrinkles, it means the pectin network has solidified, the setting point has been reached, and you should take the mixture off the heat.
STEP 5
- Fill the hot, dry jars right to the top – preserves shrink slightly on cooling, and a full jar means less trapped condensation. Seal the jars while still hot. Let the jars cool completely at room temperature for at least 4-8 hours, or preferably overnight. The jam will continue to set as it cools.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note:
This nutritional information is an estimate and values may vary. It is for guidance only and should not be considered dietary advice.
I was gifted 2 quart bags of Aqpiq from the Nome, Alaska area. I used this recipe to make 3 jars of Jelly for Christmas gifts. Thank you!
P.S. I had to use a whole cup of lemon juice and it came out great.
I’m delighted to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! Edible gifts are the best!
I picked 800+g of cloudberries this morning and made them into some very good jam this afternoon. I used the recipe just as written (800g berries, 800g sugar and a “large half” of lemon cooked to 220*F) and it worked perfectly. Will try it without seeds next time. Thank You!
I’m delighted to hear that! You’re very welcome! Thanks for leaving a comment =)
Making your own jam can be daunting at first, let me know if you have any questions about this recipe and I’ll do my best to answer them! I hope you enjoy this jam as much as we do!