With the arrival of autumn in our region, the preparation of the winter house begins slowly. As summer passes, it brings with it fresh fruits, so it would be wise to use them while we can. Homemade products are something that each of us should have in the house, and it used to be taken for granted.
Our grandmothers prepared products from various vegetables and fruits, and peach sweets were definitely a must.
You can prepare it in several ways, and what is characteristic of it is that lime is used during the preparation, so that the peaches remain in one piece and are juicy.
Sweet peach is a super treat, and generally sweeter than any fruit. If you have them in your pantry, you won’t even need any other special treats. Then when you want the taste and smell of summer, you jump to the pantry and there are wonderful memories.
In the rest of the text, read which recipes we selected, and why. We definitely recommend that you try it at the first opportunity, and provide yourself with a healthy and delicious peach dessert for the winter.
(if it lasts until winter)
Sweet peaches with lime
According to the basic recipe, the one that our grandmothers still used, sweet peach is prepared with lime. In the introduction, we mentioned why this is so, and once you try the sweet prepared in this way, the recipe will never change.
Necessary ingredients for preparation:
- 1 kilogram of peaches
- 1 kilogram of sugar
- Juice of half a lemon
- 3 spoons of lime
- 1 liter of water
Way of preparation:
We will mention right at the beginning that the selection of peaches is of great importance. Namely, you need to choose peaches of medium size, a little harder but certainly well ripe. Never use too soft ones, and don’t choose green ones either. So some golden mean is just right.
In addition, it is important that you choose literally healthy peaches. By that we mean finding the ones that are organically grown, and if you have them in your yard, you’re lucky! You can always buy peaches in stores, but you are not always sure how they were grown or where they come from. If yes, then choose them.
Keep in mind that all fruits that have been sprayed or treated with different pesticides are harmful to our health in one way or another. So, choose healthy, fresh and organic fruits.
When you have selected the peaches, you only need to wash them well in several waters, in order to remove dirt from them if there is any, and there is always even a small amount. Then clean the well-washed peaches from the pits, and only then weigh them.
Therefore, do not measure the peaches with pits, they must be 1 kilogram without pits. Prepared peaches must now be soaked in lime water.
It is obtained by mixing 3 tablespoons of lime with 1 liter of water, and mixing well to combine. Pour the peaches into the prepared lime water, then leave them to stand in it for a little over half an hour.
After that half an hour, pour the sugar into a suitable pan and pour enough water to cover it. Place the pot on the stove and set the temperature to medium. Now leave it to form a thick syrup, similar to honey. It will take about 10-15 minutes, from the moment of boiling.
While the syrup is slowly simmering, you take the peaches out of the lime water and wash them under running water. When the syrup becomes thick enough, drop the peaches into it and continue cooking.
After about 20 minutes, the sweet should be ready, and during those 20 minutes, do not stir the sweet, but you can just shake the pan from time to time. If you mix the peaches, they may fall apart.
After this time, remove the pan from the heat, skim off the foam that has appeared on top, and cover the pan with a clean cloth. Let the sweet “rest” a little and cool down, while you prepare the jars during that time. Pour the cooled sweet into sterilized jars, close tightly and leave to cool completely at daytime temperature.
Store the jars in the pantry afterwards, and use as needed.
Always keep them in the pantry, that is, in a cooler and darker place, as this extends the shelf life. It is best to keep the opened jar in the refrigerator, and try to use it within the next 5-7 days.
Simply sweet from peaches
If the previous recipe seems a bit demanding, here is a simpler one. It’s also sweet – sweet, and the only difference is that it’s more like jam with pieces. With the previous recipe, you can feel the full flavor of the peach because the peach retains its shape.
The necessary ingredients for preparation are:
- 1 kilogram of peaches
- 500 grams of sugar
- 1 bag of vanilla sugar
Way of preparation:
The same rule applies when choosing peaches, just like in the previous recipe.
Wash the selected peaches well, in some water, then remove the pits and cut them into smaller pieces. Best in quarters. Pour them into the appropriate pot, the one in which you intend to cook the sweet.
Pour a couple of spoons of sugar over the peaches, then leave them for about half an hour to release their juice. When they release the juice, put the pan on the stove, then add the rest of the sugar and vanilla sugar, and start cooking.
Actually, the sweet is just cooking, and it’s up to you to set the temperature to medium. Do not stir the sweet while cooking, just shake the pan occasionally. Skim off the foam that will appear on top.
After about half an hour, check if your sweet is thick enough, by removing a spoonful of sweet on a plate and waiting for it to cool. Try it and assess the situation. If the sweet is thick enough, remove the pan from the heat.
Cover the pan with a cloth and let it cool down a bit, while you prepare the jars in the meantime. Wash them well and sterilize them, then pour the sweet into warm jars and close them tightly. Wait for the sweet to cool completely at daytime temperature, then put it in a pantry, freezer, or in a cooler and darker place.
Always keep an open jar in the fridge, as this reduces the chances of the sweets in the jar spoiling. Be sure not to keep it in a warm and bright place.
Tip +
You can always add an aromatic spice to the peach dessert, such as a vanilla bean, rosette or cinnamon. Spices add flavor and sometimes serve to extend shelf life.
When it comes to sugar, first try the recipes as we have written, then for some of the next times you can increase or decrease the amount according to your personal taste. Nothing is 100% fixed, but you can adjust the ingredients as you see fit.
You can also always add limontus or some preservative to the sweet, if you don’t trust that it will survive for a long time without them. Be sure to pour the sweet into well-sterilized jars, and keep it in a cooler and darker place, as this preserves the shelf life.