Recipe

Mango Jam

Name: Mango Jam
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 500 g mango (about 4 mangos); 250 g sugar (1 cup); ½ lemon; 100 ml water

Homemade mango jam with sugar and lemon, cooked until glossy. Ideal for spreading, filling empanaditas, or making a pie.

CiberCubaAugust 28, 2020

CiberCuba

Preparation15 min
Cooking45 min
Total time1 h
Servings10 servings (about 2 jars)
DifficultyEasy

Mango jam is a very popular sweet in Cuba: delicious, easy to make, and very versatile, as you can prepare other dishes with it. During mango season, it is the best way to use up those that are getting too ripe. And if you store it well, you will have an excellent dessert for quite some time.

Ingredients

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500 g mango (about 4 mangos)
250 g sugar (1 cup)
½ lemon
100 ml water

Method

Peel the mango and cut it into slices or cubes.
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Wash the lemon and squeeze it.
If you prefer, blend and strain the mango with the sugar before cooking. You can also cook it in chunks and blend it afterwards: choose the method you like best.
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Place the mango, sugar, lemon juice, and water in a saucepan. Stir the mixture a little.
Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally so it does not stick to the bottom.
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When the mango is very soft, turn off the heat and let it cool.
For a homogeneous texture, pass the jam through the blender and then strain it to remove the mango fibers.
If you want it thicker, return it to low heat without stopping stirring until it reaches the consistency you like.
It is ready when it shines, as Cuban grandmothers say, or when passing a spoon through the mixture does not make it flow easily. Do not overcook: it thickens even more when cooling.
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Wash a couple of glass jars with their lids. Sterilize them by boiling them completely covered with water and jar the jam in them.
Store preferably in the refrigerator. In a hermetically sealed jar, it keeps for up to 6 months. Enjoy!
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Tips and variations

Key ratio: use half as much sugar as fruit. If you have 1 pound of mango pulp, add half a pound of sugar.

The lemon is not essential, but it adds a touch of acidity and improves the texture. You will notice that the jam sets faster and takes on a crystalline color.

Little water: the mango releases a lot of liquid. If you use too much water, you will have to extend the cooking time until it thickens.

Blended or not: many people enjoy mango sweet in chunks, without blending. For a homogeneous jam, blend and strain it to remove the mango fibers.

Uses: with this jam you can prepare mango pie or mango empanaditas. It also goes very well spread on cookies and toast, or with cream cheese. Some even mix it with milk to make a good smoothie.

Preservation: store it in sterilized glass jars and, preferably, in the refrigerator. Tightly sealed, it lasts up to 6 months, although given how delicious it is, it will surely be finished much sooner.