Confitures & Miel Recipe

Prepare fruit

Wash fruit. If using peaches or plums, blanch in boiling water 30–60 seconds, then plunge into ice water and slip off skins. Pit and chop fruit into roughly 1–2 cm pieces; weigh to confirm ~1.25 kg.

Combine and macerate

Place chopped fruit in a large, nonreactive saucepan or bowl. Add the granulated sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Split the vanilla bean, scrape seeds into the fruit and add pod to the mix. Stir to combine, cover and let macerate at room temperature for 1–2 hours (or refrigerate up to 4 hours) until fruit softens and releases juices.

Cook the confiture

Set a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the fruit-sugar mixture (including any juices) and bring to a gentle boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer. Skim any foam from the surface with a spoon. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. Continue cooking 20–30 minutes until the mixture thickens and fruit breaks down but still has pieces — test by placing a teaspoon on a chilled plate: it should wrinkle when pushed with a finger.

Finish and jar

Remove from heat. Fish out the vanilla pod. Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice more if needed for brightness and to help set. Ladle hot confiture into sterilized jars leaving 6–8 mm headspace. Wipe rims clean, seal with lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude) to ensure preservation. Remove jars and cool undisturbed until lids pop and seal (12–24 hours).

While confiture cooks, warm the honey gently in a small saucepan over low heat (do not boil) with the dried lavender or thyme and lemon zest for 4–6 minutes to infuse flavor. Remove from heat and let steep for 10–15 minutes, then strain out solids. Use infused honey in one of two ways:

Option A — Swirl into jars

When filling each jar with hot confiture, drizzle 1–2 teaspoons of the warm infused honey into the top of each jar before sealing. This gives a glossy, honeyed finish and aroma.

Option B — Serve alongside

Alternatively, chill the confiture and serve the infused honey on the side as a spoonable condiment for cheese plates, toast or yogurt. Store unused honey at room temperature in a sealed container.

After processing and cooling, check that lids are sealed (center of lid should be concave and not pop when pressed). Label jars with contents and date. Properly sealed jars will keep in a cool, dark place for up to 12 months. Refrigerate after opening and use within 4 weeks.

If you prefer a softer set, reduce cooking time slightly. For a smoother jam, pulse the cooked fruit briefly with an immersion blender before jarring, but do so while hot and use caution.