Walnut Jam made with unripe Green Walnuts

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Walnut Jam is a very unique and unusual jam as is made with fresh green walnuts, while they are still unripe and tender. After removing the bitterness of the walnuts, they are boiled with sugar and spices.

Finally, lemon juice is added so that the sugar will not crystalize again.

You can enjoy it in so many ways. Apart from adding it on top of bread and butter, you can add it in your yoghurt, in puddings, on ice cream, in cakes, with cheese or charcuterie or in any other way you can imagine.

When is the best time to pick Green Walnuts?

In Greece, the best time to pick Green Walnuts is around the end of May or early June, depending on the climate, in each area. You will find more details in my recipe for Walnut Liqueur.

How I made the Walnut Jam

Two years ago when I was making the Walnut Liqueur, I had lots of walnuts so this idea came to my mind. I searched the internet to find other similar recipes and saw that there was none. What some people called a walnut jam was what in Greece we call Walnut Preserve or Glyko Karydaki.

I decided to experiment and it worked.

Stage one – Removing the bitterness from the walnuts

I followed the same stages to remove the bitterness as we do with the Walnut Preserve.

First of all we peel the walnuts (see the video)

Poke them with a skewer.

Put them in a bowl with water to cover them.

Change the water twice a day for two days. The walnuts will gradually start becoming black.

Boil the walnuts, gradually, changing the water every time, until they become soft.

 (To know if the walnuts are ready, you should make the needle test. Take a skewer or a needle and prick the walnuts, if the needle passes through the walnut and comes out easily, then the walnuts are ready for the final stage).

Stage two – making the jam

What You’ll Need to Make Walnut Jam

Scale these ingredients as appropriate:

• 500 grams of fresh, green walnuts (about 23-30, depending on size)
• 500 grams of sugar with pectin
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

How to make the Walnut Jam

1. Peel a thin layer of walnut skin.
2. Then pierce them twice with a skewer.
3. Put them in a bowl with water to cover them, changing the water twice every day.
4. On the third day, drain them and put them in a pot with water to cover them and boil them for ten minutes.
5. Repeat the same procedure for two more days, until they become soft.
6. Discard the water and when they cool cut them into smaller pieces.
7. Put them in a pot with the sugar, spices and water. 
8. When the sugar dissolves completely, boil them until the water evaporates. 
9. Discard the cinnamon stick and the cloves.
10. Using a hand mixer or a food processor puree the walnuts.
11. Bring to a boil and add the lemon juice.
12. Put the jam as it is hot in sterilized jars.
13. Put the jars upside down until the jam cools.
14. Store in a dark and dry place.
15. Once the jar is opened, store in the refrigerator until consumed.

Note: If you cannot find sugar with pectin, you can grate 2 granny smith apples (or any other fruit with high pectin and add it to the jam during the second stage.

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!

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