Apple Jam Recipe: Sweet Spanish Apple Preserve Spread (58) 2026

Dulce de manzana is a thick, glossy apple preserve that turns a handful of everyday ingredients into something you'll want to keep in the fridge at all times. Whole apples, lemon juice and sugar are cooked down slowly until the mixture darkens and sets into a dense, spoonable sweet.

It's the ideal project when you have a surplus of sweet apples on hand, and it rewards patience more than skill. The long, gentle simmer is what gives it that deep amber color and concentrated apple flavor.

Serve it on toast with cheese and walnuts, add a spoonful to a cheese board, or loosen it into a salad of baby greens. Once you've made it once, you'll find yourself reaching for it constantly.

Ingredients for Apple Jam

This makes about 12 servings of preserve.

• 1 kg apples
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 800 g sugar

How to Make Apple Jam Step by Step

1. Wash and Chop the Apples

Wash 1 kg of apples well and cut them into pieces. You can peel them if you like, but leaving the skin on and cooking them just as they are chopped helps the mixture gel better.

2. Put the Apples in a Pot with Lemon Juice

Place the chopped apples in a pot together with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Give everything a quick stir so the lemon coats the fruit.

3. Cook the Apples

Cover the pot and cook for 40 minutes, until a knife inserted into the apples meets no resistance. The fruit should be completely soft and broken down.

4. Blend the Apples

Discard the apple cores, then blend the fruit until smooth and return the purée to the pot. This gives you a silky base for the preserve.

5. Add the Sugar and Simmer Slowly

Add 800 g of sugar and stir well. Cook over low heat for 1 to 2 hours, stirring to keep the sweet from sticking to the bottom of the pot. It's ready when the spoon you're using stands upright in the pot and the color has darkened as the water cooks off.

6. Pour Into a Mold and Let Cool

Divide the apple sweet among a mold lightly greased with oil to make unmolding easier, and let it cool completely.

7. Unmold and Serve

Before serving, unmold the apple sweet by turning the mold over. Store it in the refrigerator.

Tips for the Best Apple Jam

Keep the Skin and Core

This sweet is made with the whole apple, skin and core included, because these parts contribute pectin and help the preserve gel so it turns out thick with the ideal texture. If you remove them, your dulce de manzana may not set properly.

How to Store It

Thanks to its high sugar content, this apple sweet keeps perfectly for weeks in the refrigerator. Keep it covered and scoop out what you need with a clean spoon.

How to Serve It

Serve it on a tapas table; it's wonderful alongside all kinds of cheese with walnuts or blueberries, and it's also delicious in salads of baby greens.

30 Top Recipes I Keep Coming Back To at Home

If you're anything like me, your kitchen rotation probably includes a blend of cozy comfort classics, well-loved dishes from around the globe, and desserts that make everyone happy.

When a rich, indulgent treat is calling my name, I typically reach for this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a luscious Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And whenever something fruity and soothing sounds right, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is my go-to.

For mornings that need an easy start or lighter fare, these fluffy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe, a hearty Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe, or these bright Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe are frequent picks. And for a gluten-free staple I can count on, this straightforward Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe is one I enjoy putting together.

Whenever tapas and Mediterranean cooking are on my mind, I bounce between this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, golden Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, velvety Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cooling Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. This elegant Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe is another one I love to serve when the occasion calls for something a bit more upscale.

Come lunch or a comforting supper, I'm always quick to suggest this warming Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, time-honored Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, deeply flavored Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and silky Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. Should I be after something more substantial, I'll bake up this Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, a homey Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the deeply satisfying French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

Some nights I'm after street-food vibes or party-ready plates, and that's when I'll whip up this succulent Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, crunchy Salchipapas recipe, punchy Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crisp Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These effortless Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe are another favorite of mine to set out as a snack or starter.

And when I'm building drinks and a whole spread for company, I'll regularly match dinner with this cooling Original Cuban Mojito recipe, a potent Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a pitcher of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To fill out the table, I like to add this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe alongside, or finish things off with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

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After years of testing and fine-tuning dishes in my own kitchen, I've come to believe the finest recipes are built on straightforward steps, dependable methods, and serious flavor.

What follows are the dishes I genuinely cook over and over—whether it's a fast meal just for me or something memorable for friends and family.

On the sweet side, the rich, silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is one I turn to when I want something impressive yet simple. Another dessert I adore is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, understanding how to make syrup for better dessert texture helps, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

When something light and uncomplicated is what I'm after, I'll usually go with the timeless Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. For richer comfort cooking, I'm quick to point people to the filling Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the smooth Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the fast weeknight go-to One Pot Pasta Recipe.

I'm also fond of sharing dishes with global roots, such as the genuine Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crisp Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and the traditional Spanish Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another area I return to often, since it cuts down on time while still delivering excellent results. The ones I make most include Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

And for those steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that classic baked pasta can still be decadent, cheesy, and deeply satisfying without any gluten.

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