Ingredients
- 1.2 kg blueberries
- 450 ml Québec maple syrup
- 60 ml bottled lemon juice
- 1 packet low-sugar powdered pectin
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest
Method
- Crush half the blueberries and leave the rest whole.
- Combine berries, maple syrup, lemon juice, zest, and pectin in a wide pot.
- Boil hard for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture wrinkles on a chilled plate.
- Fill hot jars, wipe the rims, seal, and process in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 750 g granulated sugar
Conversion used: Replace 750 g sugar with 450 ml maple syrup; lower the added liquid by using concentrated lemon juice and low-sugar pectin. Cook uncovered for a firm gel; no oven step, so −15 °C does not apply.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple deepens blueberry flavor with toasted notes rather than masking it. The adaptation uses less refined sweetener and keeps the classic whole-fruit preserve texture.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →