French Caribbean Banana Monkey Jam
The optional ingredients should be adjusted according to taste.
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula
- Potato masher
- Fine grater or zester
- Clean glass jars with lids
- Ladle
- Wide-mouth funnel, optional
Preparing the Fruit
Begin by peeling the bananas and placing them in a large bowl. Mash them with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth.
A few small pieces of banana can remain. They will soften during cooking and give the finished jam a more homemade texture.
Caribbean cooking class
Peel and finely chop the pineapple. Smaller pieces are preferable because they break down more easily during cooking and help create a thick, spreadable preserve.
Measure the brown sugar, shredded coconut, citrus juices, zest, and spices before beginning the cooking process.
Instructions
Step 1: Combine the Fruit
Place the mashed bananas and chopped pineapple into a large heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Add the brown sugar, shredded coconut, lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt.
Stir everything together until the fruit is evenly coated with the sugar and spices.
Allow the mixture to sit for approximately 10 minutes. This gives the sugar time to begin drawing moisture from the fruit.
