We make this Christmas jam with the Thermomix® every year on the first Advent weekend, when the summer berries are still sitting in the freezer. From 1 kg of raspberries, 60 g of Amaretto and three spices, we get 6 jars in 35 minutes. Some we spread on our own Advent rolls; the rest we give away tied with a fabric topper.
The reason we use Amaretto instead of mulled wine: mulled wine jam quickly becomes generic because almost every Thermomix® blog makes it. We wanted to keep the raspberry front and centre and simply add a festive marzipan-almond note alongside it. That is exactly what the Amaretto does. For an Advent breakfast, this pairs beautifully with yoghurt from the Thermomix® or a fresh farmhouse loaf from the Thermomix®.
Christmas Jam with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 6 ✓
- 1000 g raspberries frozen
- 1 vanilla pod
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 60 g Amaretto
- 500 g jam sugar 2:1
Instructions 0 / 4
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1
Add the ingredients.
Allow the raspberries to thaw. Slit the vanilla pod lengthways. Add all the ingredients to the mixing bowl, mix for 5 sec / reverse direction / speed 3 and cook for 20 min / 100°C / reverse direction / speed 1. Watch the jam closely during cooking to make sure it does not foam too much. Once it reaches 100°C, switch off after 4 minutes.
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2
Sterilise the jars.
Meanwhile, sterilise the preserving jars.
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3
Blend the jam.
Remove the vanilla pod, cinnamon stick and star anise. Blend the jam by building up to 8 sec / speed 8 and do a set test. If the jam has not set properly, add a further 2 to 3 minutes of cooking time.
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4
Fill the jars.
Fill the jam into the prepared jars, seal them and turn upside down for 5 minutes.
Tip: You can of course make this jam with other fruits too. Just make sure the quantity of fruit matches the quantity of jam sugar you use.
Video
Nutrition per serving
Amaretto instead of mulled wine: why the raspberry stays in the spotlight
Most Christmas jams use 250 g of mulled wine with a frozen mixed-berry blend, or sour cherries with red wine. That tastes good, but it pushes the fruit into the mulled-wine bracket. We use 1 kg of raspberries as the sole base and only 60 g of Amaretto. The almond liqueur brings the marzipan note that lifts the raspberry rather than masking it. An alternative from the Vorwerk community is to add 30 to 40 g of raw marzipan directly to the mixing bowl. That works, but it tends to leave small undissolved marzipan lumps. With liqueur that does not happen because it dissolves completely into the mixture.
The festive spicing comes from the trio of 1 slit vanilla pod, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 star anise. These are cooked in and removed before blending, otherwise the Thermomix® would chop the cinnamon stick into splinters. If you want a more intense Christmas flavour, add 2 cloves or 1 cardamom pod. Unlike cranberry-orange versions (for example those using 2 cinnamon sticks and 2 star anise), our jam stays a deep, even red and tastes clearly of raspberry rather than punch.
Why the Thermomix® makes preserving easier
Making jam is exactly the kind of task the Thermomix® was built for: a fixed temperature, constant stirring and no scorching on the bottom of the pan. Three things make the real difference here:
- Reverse direction keeps the fruit intact: We first mix everything for 5 seconds in reverse direction at speed 3, then cook for 20 minutes at 100°C in reverse direction at speed 1. The reverse direction stirs without breaking up the raspberries, so you keep fruit pieces and the jam does not cook down to a puree.
- 100°C is held precisely: Jam sugar 2:1 needs a rolling boil for the pectin to activate. On the hob you are guessing; the Thermomix® holds 100°C consistently. Once that temperature is reached we cook for another 4 minutes, by which point the setting point is reliably hit.
- Blending at the press of a button: After removing the spices we blend for 8 seconds at speed 8. That lets you decide the texture yourself, from chunky (shorter) to silky smooth (longer). Blending hot jam with a hand blender by the hob splashes everywhere; inside the closed mixing bowl it does not.
The three most common pitfalls when making jam with frozen raspberries
The jam does not set
Frozen raspberries release a lot of water as they thaw. This dilutes the mixture and extends the time needed to reach the setting point. Fresh raspberries set faster.
Our solution: Always do a set test. Put a teaspoon of jam onto a cold plate. If it wrinkles when you push it with your finger, it is ready. If not, simply add another 2 to 3 minutes of cooking at 100°C. With very watery frozen berries, allow 25 minutes rather than 20.
It foams over
Jam sugar causes foam during cooking. If you ignore it, you end up with a cloudy jam and a sticky lid.
Our solution: During the 20 minutes, rest the measuring cup at a slight angle on the mixing bowl lid so steam can escape, and watch through the lid. If it starts to foam too much, briefly reduce the speed and lift the measuring cup. 1 kg of berries plus 500 g of jam sugar fits comfortably in the 2.2-litre mixing bowl without boiling over.
The spices taste bitter
If the cinnamon stick and star anise are left in too long or are blended in, the flavour turns bitter and the texture becomes gritty.
Our solution: Remove the vanilla pod, cinnamon stick and star anise after cooking, then blend. Scrape the vanilla seeds out first and leave them in the mixture; the empty pod comes out with the other spices.
Five variations we have made ourselves
- Alcohol-free: Replace the 60 g of Amaretto with 60 g of orange juice plus 1 tsp of bitter almond extract. For children, 50 g of apple juice also works. The marzipan note is more subtle but still there.
- Raspberry and blackberry: 600 g of raspberries plus 400 g of blackberries give a darker, more intense Christmas flavour. The jam sugar and spices stay the same.
- Cranberry and orange: Replace some of the raspberries with cranberries and orange pieces, and add 2 cloves. This is the classic North American Christmas variation, noticeably more tart.
- Cherry and chocolate: Swap the raspberries for cherries and stir in 50 g of chopped dark chocolate after cooking until melted.
- Almond crunch: Fold in 50 g of toasted flaked almonds at the end. This adds texture and reinforces the Amaretto note.
Other ways we use the jam beyond spreading it on bread
On an Advent roll it is a given, but we also use it as a filling for Linzer biscuits from the Thermomix® and stir a spoonful into natural yoghurt. As a dessert topping it works beautifully over vanilla ice cream or rice pudding. If you are looking for more gift ideas, we also have Advocaat from the Thermomix® and other spreads from the Thermomix® for a gift hamper.
How long the jam keeps and how to package it as a gift
Clean working practice is key to shelf life. We sterilise the preserving jars by placing them with their lids in the oven at 130°C for 10 minutes, or by rinsing them out with boiling water. Fill the hot jam immediately, seal the jars and turn them upside down for 5 minutes. This creates a vacuum that preserves the jam.
Sealed and sterilised, the jam keeps for 6 to 12 months in a cool, dark place. The Amaretto also acts as an additional preservative. Once opened, store in the fridge and use within 4 to 6 weeks. For gifts we fill into 250 ml jars, cut a circle of Christmas fabric, tie it over the lid with ribbon and add a label with the name and date of making. From around 5 euros worth of ingredients you get a present that looks as though it cost 15 euros.
Frequently asked questions about Christmas jam with the Thermomix®
Also pairs well with: cream cheese and vanilla ice cream.
