4/23/2017
4/09/2017
#10 Strawberry Jam
Hi guys, what do you often have for breakfast? I often have bread and butter with it. Sometimes I feel like bored to have this kind of breakfast, but actually I don't have many other choices since I don't have much time in the morning. One day, I bought a strawberry in Walmart and it's really tasty. I would like to make one myself for a more fresh taste. Today I will show you how to make homemade strawberry jam, with real strawberry chunks inside. Of course, it's very easy to make.
Step 1
What you need:
500g strawberries
350g sugar
1 tsp butter
1 lemon
Step 2
Now we start cutting the strawberries.
The strawberries are washed and drained.
Then we cut them into big chunks, because we are making chunky strawberry jam.
You just cut one strawberry into four pieces.
We need to marinade the strawberries first.
Here we have 350g of sugar and 500g of strawberries.
Pour half of the sugar inside first.
We will add the rest later.
Now we need to wait until the juice comes out.
This is a really important process.
After marinaded the strawberry, it will release the juice, so that the shape could be well preserved.
And your jam will have large chunks inside.
Stir it evenly, and leave them at room temperature for about 2-3 hours.
Or you can leave them in the fridge overnight.
Step 3
Now it's been about three hours. You can see how much juice has come out. It's ready to cook.
Before that we can prepare one lemon.
Roll it on the chopping board before using it, which makes it easier to sqeeze.
Cut the lemon into half.
Then bring the strawberry to the hob.
Step 4
Now pour the strawberries into the pan.
You can use a skillet, with a large heating area in the bottom, which helps to speed the cooking process.
Turn on the heat to high, then you need to add the rest of the sugar.
After a while, we add the lemon juice by squeezing it.
Catch the seeds with your hands. If you just cannot avoid that, use a spoon to remove them.
The lemon juice can work with pectin, which exists naturally in fruits. It could help to set the jam.
Then we add a nob of butter. The butte could help to reduce the foam. Meanwhile it adds flavor to the jam.
You won't taste the butte but you can tell the jam smells nice.
You may think there is too much sugar. If you don't need to store the jam for long time, you can use less sugar. But if you want your jam like the product you can buy in the market, with a long shelf life, it's better to stick to the recipe. What the sugar does is to preserve the fruit.
Step 5
To tell when the jam is ready, we have two methods.
First, use a thermometer. Once the temperature reaches 105°C, you can turn off the heater.
If you do't have a thermometer, here is an easy way. Drop a little jam on a small plate, which was left in the freezer for a while to make it cold. Remember to turn off the heat when you do this. Do not overheat the jam. You can see on the cold plate that the jam is chilled immediately, and it's already set. Then you push it with your finger tip. You can feel a thin film on the surface, and the texture is just like the jam. Now it's ready to bottle.
Step 6
Use clean and dry bottles.
You can let the jam cool for a little while, but remember to bottle when it's still warm.
There is some foam on the surface, and you need to remove them, because it contains air, which may affect the preservation as well.
Transfer into a bottle when it's warm. Everything should be finished when the jam is still warm. Leave one centimeter space in the bottle.
Try to keep it clean while the jam is still warm, which is the key to success.
Now screw the cap on. The jam is basically done.
It's time to enjoy the strawberry jam. You can also gift wrap the jam, which makes a brilliant gift. Write your note on the stickers. Labor it and then cover a piece of pretty paper on the top. Now we have a beautifully presented gift for friends or families.
Step 1
What you need:
500g strawberries
350g sugar
1 tsp butter
1 lemon
Step 2
Now we start cutting the strawberries.
The strawberries are washed and drained.
Then we cut them into big chunks, because we are making chunky strawberry jam.
You just cut one strawberry into four pieces.
We need to marinade the strawberries first.
Here we have 350g of sugar and 500g of strawberries.
Pour half of the sugar inside first.
We will add the rest later.
Now we need to wait until the juice comes out.
This is a really important process.
After marinaded the strawberry, it will release the juice, so that the shape could be well preserved.
And your jam will have large chunks inside.
Stir it evenly, and leave them at room temperature for about 2-3 hours.
Or you can leave them in the fridge overnight.
Step 3
Now it's been about three hours. You can see how much juice has come out. It's ready to cook.
Before that we can prepare one lemon.
Roll it on the chopping board before using it, which makes it easier to sqeeze.
Cut the lemon into half.
Then bring the strawberry to the hob.
Step 4
Now pour the strawberries into the pan.
You can use a skillet, with a large heating area in the bottom, which helps to speed the cooking process.
Turn on the heat to high, then you need to add the rest of the sugar.
After a while, we add the lemon juice by squeezing it.
Catch the seeds with your hands. If you just cannot avoid that, use a spoon to remove them.
The lemon juice can work with pectin, which exists naturally in fruits. It could help to set the jam.
Then we add a nob of butter. The butte could help to reduce the foam. Meanwhile it adds flavor to the jam.
You won't taste the butte but you can tell the jam smells nice.
You may think there is too much sugar. If you don't need to store the jam for long time, you can use less sugar. But if you want your jam like the product you can buy in the market, with a long shelf life, it's better to stick to the recipe. What the sugar does is to preserve the fruit.
Step 5
To tell when the jam is ready, we have two methods.
First, use a thermometer. Once the temperature reaches 105°C, you can turn off the heater.
If you do't have a thermometer, here is an easy way. Drop a little jam on a small plate, which was left in the freezer for a while to make it cold. Remember to turn off the heat when you do this. Do not overheat the jam. You can see on the cold plate that the jam is chilled immediately, and it's already set. Then you push it with your finger tip. You can feel a thin film on the surface, and the texture is just like the jam. Now it's ready to bottle.
Step 6
Use clean and dry bottles.
You can let the jam cool for a little while, but remember to bottle when it's still warm.
There is some foam on the surface, and you need to remove them, because it contains air, which may affect the preservation as well.
Transfer into a bottle when it's warm. Everything should be finished when the jam is still warm. Leave one centimeter space in the bottle.
Try to keep it clean while the jam is still warm, which is the key to success.
Now screw the cap on. The jam is basically done.
It's time to enjoy the strawberry jam. You can also gift wrap the jam, which makes a brilliant gift. Write your note on the stickers. Labor it and then cover a piece of pretty paper on the top. Now we have a beautifully presented gift for friends or families.
#9 Cheers! Cucumber Ginger Beer
Hi guys, time flies so fast that it's already the 9th post of mine. Since my posts about drinks are mostly sweet beverage, I want to try something new. It's so hot in Topeka today and I feel like summer is right here. It comes up to me an idea that I can make something exciting with alcohol. However, you guys should be careful about it. If you are under 21 years old, please DON'T try it, or you can make it for others who are available to drink alcohol. I am going to make cucumber ginger beer, which is so cool and fresh. What's more, don't drink too much though it's really taste. Let's begin.Step 1
What you need:
75ml simple syrup
350ml Vodka
750ml ginger beer
1 cucumber
1 small piece of ginger
2 lime
thyme
Step 2
First, let's make simple syrup.
Pour sugar and water 1:1 into the pot.
Turn on the heat, cook the sugar until it becomes transparent.
And then turn off the heat until it becomes cool.
Step 3
Peel the cucumber and cut into small pieces.
Slice the ginger. Pour in the vodka.
Soak them for about 1-2 hours.
Slice the cucumber and lemon.
Step 4
Put a sifter on the big bowl. Squeeze another half of the lemon.
Filter and pour the vodka into the bowl.
Pour the syrup, ginger beer, then stir it.
Step 5
Find another pretty glass jug.
Put ice cube, cucumber, and lemon slices into it.
And then put something that I guess most of you don't have.
But if you just have it on hand, put some thyme.
Pour in the mixed wine.
The cucumber ginger beer is finished.
4/02/2017
#8 Coffee Soda
Hmm, it's already April. We can smell spring in Kansas. Though it's rainy these days in Topeka, I am so excited to see the blooming flowers. As the temperature is getting higher, it's a good idea to change your drink a little bit. If you have hot coffee in winter, now it's right the time to try a new type coffee.
Usually we have ice coffee which is simply adding ice into the coffee. However, I want to introduce something creative to you. Could you imagine that we can mix coffee and soda together just within a few steps? And it not only looks good, but also tastes good. So let's begin.
How to make Coffee Soda?
Step 1
What you need:
coffee ice cube
sparkling water
lemon
Step 2
Brew the black coffee first. Put the amount of coffee you like into the glass and add hot water.
Then pour the coffee into the ice tray. After the coffee cools down, freeze it in the fridge.
Step 3
Take the finished coffee cube out of fridge.
Cut some lemon slices, you can use more lemons
Now put the coffee ice cubes into the glass. Then put the lemon slices.
You just alternately put ice cubes and lemon slices into the glass.
You can put some sugar. It depends on you.
Finally, pour some sparkling water.
Now we finish making the coffee soda. You'll quench your thirst with this drink under the sun. It can give you a clear brain to welcome a new day.
Usually we have ice coffee which is simply adding ice into the coffee. However, I want to introduce something creative to you. Could you imagine that we can mix coffee and soda together just within a few steps? And it not only looks good, but also tastes good. So let's begin.
How to make Coffee Soda?
Step 1
What you need:
coffee ice cube
sparkling water
lemon
Step 2
Brew the black coffee first. Put the amount of coffee you like into the glass and add hot water.
Then pour the coffee into the ice tray. After the coffee cools down, freeze it in the fridge.
Step 3
Take the finished coffee cube out of fridge.
Cut some lemon slices, you can use more lemons
Now put the coffee ice cubes into the glass. Then put the lemon slices.
You just alternately put ice cubes and lemon slices into the glass.
You can put some sugar. It depends on you.
Finally, pour some sparkling water.
Now we finish making the coffee soda. You'll quench your thirst with this drink under the sun. It can give you a clear brain to welcome a new day.
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