Rhubarb ·авг 09, 2026

Rhubarb and Apple Jam with Ginger, Cardamom & Cinnamon

A simple rhubarb and apple jam with no added sugar. The apple adds natural sweetness and pectin, while dates provide additional sweetness and a richer, slightly caramel-like flavor. The finished jam is smooth, tangy, and excellent on toast, yogurt, porridge, or served with cheese.

Yield ~5 dl

Equipment

Ingredients

800 g rhubarb, trimmed and cut into small pieces
1 medium-large apple (about 150–200 g), peeled, cored, and grated
3–4 pitted dates, finely chopped
1–2 tsp freshly grated ginger
½–¾ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 small pinch of salt
2–4 tbsp water

Optional: for a sweeter, more traditional jam

If you prefer a sweeter jam, add:

300–500 g granulated sugar, depending on how sweet you want it
Juice of ½–1 lemon

When using sugar, the lemon is useful because its acidity helps balance the sweetness and supports pectin gel formation. It is not necessary in the sugar-free version, where the rhubarb already provides plenty of acidity.

Method

1. Prepare the fruit

Trim and cut the rhubarb into small pieces.

Peel, core, and grate the apple.

Remove the pits from the dates and finely chop them.

2. Start cooking

Place the rhubarb, grated apple, dates, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, salt, and 2–4 tablespoons of water in a saucepan.

The small amount of water is simply there to prevent the fruit from sticking or scorching before the rhubarb starts releasing its own juices. No soaking or macerating time is necessary.

Cover the saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb has completely softened.

3. Blend until smooth

Remove the saucepan from the heat and use an immersion blender to blend the mixture until completely smooth.

If you prefer a very fine, silky texture, blend thoroughly for a little longer.

4. Reduce the jam

Return the saucepan to the stove and simmer uncovered over low to medium-low heat for approximately 10–20 minutes, stirring regularly.

The purpose of cooking uncovered at this stage is to allow excess water to evaporate and concentrate the mixture.

Because there is no added sugar, the finished jam will not set as firmly as traditional jam. Cook it until it reaches the consistency you prefer.

5. Taste and adjust

Taste the jam after it has thickened.

If it is too tart, add another chopped date and simmer for a few minutes before blending again. Alternatively, you can add a little honey or maple syrup to taste.

If you are making the sugar version, add the sugar and lemon juice before the main cooking stage and cook until the desired consistency is reached.

Storage

Because the sugar-free version contains no large amount of sugar to act as a preservative, store it in a clean container in the refrigerator and use within approximately 1–2 weeks, or freeze it for longer storage.

The traditional sugar version will have considerably better keeping qualities, particularly when prepared and stored correctly in sterilized jars.

Serving suggestions

This jam is particularly good with: