Raspberry Lemon Chia (Print Version)

Tangy-sweet raspberry and lemon chia spread, thickened naturally and ready in 10 minutes for toast or yogurt.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fruit

01 - 2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)

→ Sweetener

02 - 2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey (use maple syrup to maintain vegan)

→ Citrus

03 - 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
04 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

→ Thickener

05 - 2 tablespoons chia seeds

# How To:

01 - Place raspberries and 2 tablespoons sweetener in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently and bring to a gentle simmer, cooking until the fruit breaks down and releases juices, about 3 to 4 minutes.
02 - Use a fork or a potato masher to press the raspberries to the desired texture, leaving some pieces for body or mashing more for a smoother result.
03 - Remove the pan from heat and stir in lemon zest, lemon juice and chia seeds until evenly distributed.
04 - Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes so the chia seeds absorb liquid and the mixture gels.
05 - Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity with additional sweetener or lemon juice as desired.
06 - Transfer the jam to a clean jar, let cool completely, then refrigerate. The spread will continue to thicken as it chills.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You can whip it up in ten minutes flat and customize both the sweetness and brightness exactly to your taste.
  • Unlike store-bought jams, every spoonful tastes startlingly fresh and requires hardly any effort or special gear.
02 -
  • If you cook the chia seeds on the heat, they can make the jam go gloopy and grainy—stir them in after removing from the burner.
  • Discovering that a little extra lemon zest at the end wakes up the flavor if your berries are on the bland side.
03 -
  • Rinsing chia seeds in a sieve before using keeps the texture lighter and more delicate.
  • Blending the cooked fruit while still warm makes for a smooth, jewel-like jam with a brighter color.
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