Forest delicacy: we tell you how to make jam and honey from pine cones

Pine cone - delicacy and medicine

A walk through a pine forest filled with the wonderful smell of pine needles heals the soul. And if, while walking on a beautiful May day, you also collect young cones, then the pine tree will help heal the body.

In most Russian families, any berry jam is eaten in winter in whole jars: with pancakes, pancakes, pies. You can’t eat cone jam like that. It is better to treat it not as a delicacy, but as a medicine.

Jam is made from green pine cones

Advice. If you decide to prepare a natural delicacy-medicine, then you need to collect green cones up to 4 cm long. They should be soft and easy to cut with a knife. Don't have a knife with you? Then you can simply bite the cone. If it’s soft, it’s suitable for jam. You need to collect pine gifts away from the road, because there the sticky, resinous cones collect harmful substances from exhaust gases.

It is necessary to collect pine cones in the forest, away from the roadway

A decoction of young cones helps in various cases, we will not list them all. Most often, jam is consumed in the cold winter. It is effective for colds, sore throat, flu, pneumonia, cough, asthma and for boosting immunity. The healing power of cones is in the resin filled with phytoncides. These are biologically active substances that prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Scientists have proven that in the soil and air of a pine forest there are 10 p.m. of pathogenic bacteria. less than in a birch forest.

Useful and medicinal properties of pine cone jam

Jam made from pine cones has a number of beneficial properties, on the basis of which this remedy is used as a traditional medicine for therapeutic purposes for various diseases. As for the benefits, the cones contain a large amount of essential oils, tannins, acids and vitamins. All these components are transmitted through jam, with the help of which a large number of people have been treated for a wide variety of ailments for many generations.

Taking into account all of the above, it is necessary to remember that the properties of pine jam include:

• anti-inflammatory;
• stimulating the immune system;
• antimicrobial and antiviral;
• diuretic, diaphoretic and choleretic;
• blood thinner, etc.

Pine cone jam - no boiling

Usually the cones are collected in late May - early June. The jam made from them has a sweet-tart, resinous taste, and the cones in it are quite soft.

Attention! Recommendations for taking pine jam: it is useful for adults to consume 1 tbsp. l. 3 r. in a day. Children - only 1 tsp. 3 r. in a day.

It is better to cook pine cone jam in a stainless steel pan

To successfully prepare pine cone jam for the winter, you must have:

• 1 kg of young pine cones;
• 1.2 kg sugar;
• 0.5 l. water.

Action steps:

1. The cones should be cleared of branches and soaked in cold water. There is no need to wash off the resin from them.
2. Place the gifts of the forest in a small saucepan and add the specified amount of water. Add sugar. The liquid should cover the cones by 2-3 cm.
3. We bring the gifts of the forest to a boil, the cones become pale green. Let's set it aside for a while.
4. After cooling, no earlier than 3 hours later, the procedure should be repeated. Boil, and after 5-6 minutes. switch off.
5. The cones need to be boiled - 5-6 rubles. The interval between cooking is 3-12 hours.
6. After 2-3 days you will have a thick amber colored syrup with dark brown buds. If the syrup turns out liquid, do not be alarmed; it will thicken as it cools.

After 2-3 days, the jam thickens and takes on an amber hue
. Tip. If possible, it is better to use a stainless steel pan for cooking pine cones. An enamel container will be difficult to wash, since resin is released from the cones during the cooking process.

Tips and Tricks

Tips regarding pine cone jam apply not only to the cooking process, but also to the harvesting method:

• There should be no roads near the collection site, since the resinous liquid on the surface of the product collects dust and dirt very well. Due to this, the cones become one of the most dangerous foods that cannot be eaten if they were collected near the highway;
• the most useful shoots grow from mid-May to early June - they are still soft, but already contain a maximum of necessary substances and give an impeccable taste to the jam;
• After pouring the buds, make sure they do not float. If there is too much water, they will rise to the surface and not cook properly;
• if the jam turns out to be too thick, it can be diluted with water and brought to a boil again;
• during hepatitis and pregnancy, you should not eat even small doses of the product;
• Inside each cone there is pink syrup after cooking - this is the most useful substance that treats coughs and improves appetite;
• You should eat jam with 1-2 tsp of green tea. per day, just do not drink too hot a drink;
• You need to store the jam in the refrigerator or cellar.

And for direct cooking, you should use enamel dishes. When heated for a long time, stainless steel or pure aluminum can negatively affect vitamins, destroying them.

Jam-honey from aromatic pine cones

This recipe is suitable for those who prefer a more pronounced resinous taste of the jam itself and are not too fond of pine cones. The preparation, cooked according to this recipe, is used to treat all colds in adults and children.

Attention! From 1 kg. The cones yield almost 3 half liter jars of jam.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg. green cones;
• 3 l. water;
• sugar at the rate of 1 kg. for 1 l. liquids.

After cooking, all cones must be removed.
How to cook correctly:

1. The pine cones washed under running water need to be filled with 3 liters. water and put on the stove.
2. Cook over low heat for 3-4 hours, skimming off thick foam if necessary.
3. Then leave to infuse for 10-12 hours.
4. After the specified time, the liquid will thicken and turn into thick jam. The cones need to be removed from it by pulling them out with a slotted spoon. Now you can throw them away, because all the useful substances have been boiled down into jelly.
5. Now you need to add sugar to the jam and cook it until cooked for about 1-1.5 hours. The liquid should turn out dark, similar to thick honey with a resinous smell.
6. Preserve the cone medicine and store until winter. You don’t have to sterilize the jars; the pine honey still won’t go to waste.

Pine cone jam does not need to be sterilized, it does not disappear

When and how to collect green pine cones for cooking

18 hours

We wash the young green cones under running water, place them in a deep saucepan, fill with water and add salt. Leave them in this state for 4 hours. This manipulation is necessary in order to rid our main ingredient of worms. Insects will die in salt water.

We drain the water, rinse the pine cones again and carefully sort them out, putting the spoiled specimens aside.

Place the cones in a bowl, add sugar, then pour boiling water so that the water completely covers them, and leave for 12 hours.

We transfer the cones into a clean pan, pour in the syrup formed during infusion, pour in a glass of purified water and bring everything to a boil. Cook the cones for 15–20 minutes. Let them cool completely for 3 hours. Then bring it to a boil again and cook for another 1.5 hours over low heat until fully cooked.

Pour the finished product into sterilized jars and seal with clean lids. We store it in a cool and dry place.

Once I was at an exhibition of hand-made goods. And on one of the “countertop” display cases they sold cone jam. I tried this dish in the classic version. At this point, I thought, the fantasy of preparing a pine delicacy was exhausted.

And then my eyes almost burst from the variety of jars with pine delicacy. It is prepared with everything: sour lemon, bright lingonberries, sweet orange, zest and even pine nuts. The aromatic honey is also perfectly woven into the composition of the sugar product.

I wanted to buy all the jars and try them. Honestly, I did just that. And I never regretted it. Do you want to surprise your loved ones? You will 100% succeed! And you don’t have to run to exhibitions. I’ll tell you how to prepare an amazing delicacy in the walls of your own kitchen.

Yes, let's start with the classic cooking method. Those who have never tried the pine delicacy will be especially delighted with it.

This way you will understand the “salt” of this dessert.

Ingredients:

• 2 liters of boiled water;
• 100 - 110 pcs. cones;
• 1 kg .

Preparation

1. Place the pine fruits in a deep bowl and rinse thoroughly. Now take a towel and thoroughly dry the main ingredient and place it in the pan.

2. Pour water over forest fruits and cook under a closed lid over low heat for about 1 hour. Then add sugar to the bowl and cook the dish for another 1.5-2 hours.

At all stages of cooking, the delicacy must be stirred periodically and the foam removed.

3. 20-30 minutes before preparing the sweets, prepare the jars. Boil water and pour boiling water over glass containers.

Now your jam is ready! Oh, how the pine delicacy turns golden and temptingly flows from the spoon back down into the sweet mass of the pan. You will really like it.

Be sure to leave a portion of dessert for tea. Roll the rest into jars. You will enjoy pine delicacies on long winter evenings...

A sour lemon will only add vitamins to the tasty pine medicine.

More precisely, it will explode diseases. Your taste buds will be greatly impressed by the pine delicacy.

Ingredients:

• 2 kg of cones;
• 2 kg sugar;
• 6 l. boiled water;
• 1 lemon.

Preparation

1. Rinse the coniferous gifts under running water, take a large clean cloth and place it on the table. Place the fruits on the material and dry them thoroughly, covering the top with the edges of the fabric.

2. Next, take a large saucepan and place the dried fruits into it. Sprinkle sand on top and fill with boiled water.

3. Turn on the burner to medium heat and place the pan on it. Cook the deliciousness for 90-120 minutes. As already written above, boil the dish for as long as you want it to be as thick as you want. Don’t forget to stir it from time to time and remove the foam.

4. 5 minutes before preparing the sweet dessert, take a lemon and a cutting board. Wash the fruit and divide it into 2 parts. Open the lid of the pan and thoroughly squeeze the citrus juice into the dish. Now mix everything with a spoon and bring the mixture to a boil again.

5. Sterilize the jars quickly. While the food is brewing, take a saucepan and pour water into it. As it boils, place the jars over the boiling liquid. This will cause the steam to cover the glass. Place sterile containers on the table and quickly pour the aromatic dessert into them.

The cone-shaped delicacy is very reminiscent of thick honey in appearance, and this ingredient is very appropriate here. These dishes are very different and similar at the same time. And together with honey, it is also an excellent remedy for any cold.

Oh, how wonderfully they complement each other in a pine dessert and sparkle in the mouth with new colors of aftertaste. Shall we try to cook?

Ingredients:

• honey to taste;
• 1 kg of cones;
• 2 l. boiled water.

Preparation

1. Place young pine fruits in a deep, large container and rinse thoroughly. Then fill it to the top with cold boiled water and leave the dishes for 24 hours.

2. The next day, drain the liquid from the pan and add 2 liters of cool boiled water. Place the future delicacy on medium heat and cook for about 20 minutes until it boils. During the preparation of the sweets, foam will form and must be removed.

3. After the contents of the dish begin to boil, take the radiant honey and add it to the treat to your taste.

4. Now bring the pine yumminess to a boil and turn off the stove. Let it sit. In the meantime, take out the jars and sterilize them. Take a ladle and pour the dessert into it.

Place the jars on the window and leave them there for a week. The pine delicacy will be even tastier and thicker, like real honey! And also, saturated with light, it will be an excellent aid in the treatment of coughs and colds.

A good alternative to lemon. It tastes amazing. And you don’t have to crush the fruit at all.

Just add a little acid to the pine food. Let's start creating it.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of cones;
• 1 kg granulated sugar;
• 0.5 tsp. citric acid;
• 0.5 l. boiled water.

1. Take a container and place pine fruits in it. Wash and clean them from dust and dirt. Now place the ingredient in a deep enamel pan and add sugar. Next, take boiled cold water and pour it over the mixture.

2. Then put the dishes on the fire and cook the delicacy for about 2 hours. Stirring occasionally and removing scale. After time, add citric acid to the sweet dish.

3. While the sweet is infusing, take the jars and pour boiling water over them. Place the sugar dish in glass containers and close them well with a lid.

Don't forget to save the yummy food for now. After all, how you want to enjoy the wonderful gift of the forest today.

We experimented with fruit juices, and now it would be a shame not to add the zest itself to the pine dish. Both orange and lemon. It will turn out very original, and most importantly tasty and healthy!

And the fruit crusts themselves are very tasty in the caramel consistency of a pine dessert. You will appreciate it! Let's get started.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of cones;
• 1.5 kg sugar;
• 3.5 l. boiled water;
• 350 gr. lemon and orange zest;
• juice of one lemon.

Preparation

1. Take a deep container and pour pine cones into it. Wash and clean them. Next, take a pan and put coniferous fruits into it. Pour boiled water on top. Cook the mixture over medium heat for about 3-4 hours. Stir it periodically to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Be sure to descale the future delicacy.

2. Now take out a colander and a new pan, strain the mixture from the pine buds and leave to cool for about 30 minutes.

3. While the liquid is cooling, take the lemons and oranges and separate their pulp from the peel. Prepare a cutting board and cut the fruit skins into pieces. You will get zest.

4. Place the pan with the future delicacy on medium heat and place the zest and sugar in it. Take a spoon and mix everything well. Cook the sweet for 20 minutes. Until you get a delicious syrup.

5. 5 minutes before preparing the treat, prepare a lemon and a cutting board. Cut the fruit into 2 parts. Next, squeeze it into dessert. Ready! Don't forget to sterilize the jars before placing the sugar treat in it.

Hurry up, take out the dumplings and reward yourself with a delicious forest dessert. It turned out very tasty.

As we already noted today, such jam is prepared not only as a sweet, but it is also used as a medicine for various ailments, especially colds.

This video explains how and when to harvest pine fruits, as well as how to cook the medicinal delicacy itself. By the way, I also like the method in which it is prepared not in one go, but, say, in three. In this case, the cones are better saturated with sweet syrup and become more juicy and tasty.

With this method, you can cook the contents for 2 hours, then set aside for a day, or for 12 hours, covering with a towel. Then cook again for an hour, and again stand for 12 - 24 hours. After the third cooking, which will also last 1 hour, the medicinal delicacy can be placed in jars and sealed tightly.

Also important is the fact when to collect green fruits for harvesting. It is important that they have time to accumulate all the useful substances, but it is also important that they do not overripe and become tough.

And just in the next chapter we will talk about this.

And finally! When are the miracle cones collected? In different regions of our vast country this is done at different times. How and where are gifts from pine trees collected? I'll tell you everything in order.

Russian land has several time zones and, of course, completely different temperature conditions. This also affects the time for collecting wonderful cones. And it all depends on the length of summer.

The earliest collection period is, of course, in the south of the country. For example, in the Krasnodar Territory, green fruits ripen to the desired state on the 20th of May.

In the Moscow region and other regions of the central zone, you can safely go into the forest for the gifts of coniferous trees on June 19-25. You will reap an excellent harvest at this time.

Five-minute cone jam

A resinous product with a minty aftertaste will be useful in any form. The peculiarity of this recipe is gentle heat treatment, maintaining a balance between taste and benefit.

Attention! The prepared treat-medicine has a number of contraindications. Its use should be limited to those with kidney disease and acute hepatitis. Nursing, pregnant and elderly people should eat sweets with caution. In young children under 7 years old, the food can cause allergies.

Although pine cone jam is healthy, it has many contraindications.

So, to fill a 3-liter jar, we need 2 kg of pine forest gifts and 3 kg. Sahara.

Cooking steps:

1. Place the washed cones in a jar, generously sprinkling them with granulated sugar.
2. Close the jar tightly with a plastic lid and place in a sunny place.
3. Shake the contents of the jar several times a day. After 4-5 days, a sweet syrup should appear in it.
4. On the 5th day, pour the cones with syrup into a basin, add 1.5 liters. water and boil for 5 minutes.
5. It is better to seal this jam for the winter in small jars under plastic lids. Keep refrigerated.

3-4 jars of jam are enough for a small family
. As practice shows, for a small family 3-4 jars of resinous jam are enough for the winter. Natural medicine will help you not get sick, and if you do get sick, help you get better. In addition, in an uncomfortable winter, jam will remind you of a shady spring pine forest and its clean, sweet air.

Cough jam

Recipes for jam from pine cones are surprising in their simplicity. So, to create a healing dessert using the following technology, you need to wash and dry 100-120 pine cones. Next, fill them with water (2 l) and cook for 50 minutes over low heat. Then strain, add sugar (1 kg) and cook for a couple of hours, stirring.

The jam should be runny. Be careful not to overcook it or thicken it. Cool, pour the treat into jars and close with regular lids.

Take for coughs and bronchial ailments. Children can be given 1 tsp of jam per glass of tea. three times a day, adults – 1 tbsp. spoon. It is useful for low hemoglobin and pulmonary tuberculosis.

Contraindications to treatment with pine cones

The described remedy is not always the best method of treating colds and other diseases. Certain people should refrain from treatment, since pine jam has a fairly large number of contraindications. The first thing you need to pay attention to is that pine cone is a serious allergen, which in some cases can lead to the most undesirable consequences. For this reason, it is better not to give jam to children under seven years of age.

Those who have problems with the kidneys and liver should not eat this miracle remedy. Acute gastrointestinal illnesses can also cause cessation of use. That being said, pregnant women should stay away from pine jam, just like those who are breastfeeding.