Preserves for Winter

One of the bright and beautiful preserves with sugar is the apricot jam without pits. The recipe for winter is not complicated at all, but has a secret.

Apple compote for the winter pantry is one of the most popular Russian home preserves – a lightly sweet fruit drink that captures the fresh taste of autumn apples. For a 3-liter jar I use 500-700 grams of apples and 250-300 grams of sugar, which gives a balanced flavor that's refreshing without being syrupy. I use the classic double-pour method with no sterilization: pour boiling water over the apples, let it sit 15 minutes, drain, make a syrup and pour it back. The sealed jars keep perfectly at room temperature all winter long. Any apple variety works – from tart cooking apples to sweet eating ones. I'll share the exact recipe and tips to prevent jar failures.

In the height of preservation, make sure to prepare a simple yet very delicious snack – crispy cucumbers in tomato for the winter. This preparation is easy to make, does not require sterilization, which, you must agree, significantly simplifies the canning process, especially in hot season.

Birch sap with lemon and sugar is a refreshing, vitamin-packed winter drink that captures the brief springtime harvest of fresh tree sap and keeps it shelf-stable for over a year. On its own birch sap has a clean, neutral flavor, but a few lemon slices add a bright citrus note and help prevent spoilage during storage. For a 3-liter jar, use 3 tablespoons of sugar and 2-3 lemon slices. Strain the sap, pour into the jar with sugar and lemon, sterilize for 15-20 minutes and seal. The result is a clear, lightly sweet drink with subtle citrus aroma — especially welcome in mid-winter. I'll cover when and how to tap birch trees safely.

Delicious, sweet, aromatic pear and plum compote for winter. The compote is prepared without using citric acid, which is often suggested to add to the compote when preserving it for the future.

Drying button mushrooms in an electric dehydrator is the easiest way to preserve them for winter while keeping all their rich aroma, nutrients and concentrated mushroom flavor intact. Dried mushrooms keep for a very long time in an airtight jar, take up almost no space and are perfect for adding deep flavor to soups, sauces, risotto and gravies — just soak in warm water for 30 minutes before using. Brush the mushrooms clean (never wash them, since they'll absorb water), slice into 4-5 mm pieces and arrange in a single layer on the dehydrator trays. Dry at 50-55°C (120-130°F) for 6-8 hours until completely dry and snap-crisp. Storage tips and exact timing inside.

Whole pods of bell peppers are canned in three-liter jars. In smaller containers, it won't work, as one brine is used and prolonged cooling is done under a warm blanket.

This borscht base is the secret to having a real, deeply flavored Russian borscht on the table in 20 minutes instead of the usual hour. Just simmer a meat broth with potatoes, stir in a spoonful of the base and you have a rich, vibrant borscht ready to serve. The base contains all the essential borscht vegetables: beets, carrots, onion, bell pepper, fresh tomatoes and tomato paste, simmered together for 30-40 minutes until tender, then seasoned with vinegar, salt, sugar and spices and packed into sterilized jars. The result is a thick, aromatic ruby-red concentrate. Proven proportions for 3 kg of beets and how much to add per pot of soup inside.

Pumpkin jam with dried apricots is always a delicious, aromatic treat that is perfect as a filling for various pastries, as well as for pancakes and fritters. Making pumpkin jam is no more difficult than making it from other fruits and berries, and maybe even easier.

Apple jam for winter - a delicious treat, moderately sweet, thick, aromatic. It is perfect for making sweet pies and croissants.