Sugar-free pomegranate molasses made from fresh pomegranates
A wholesome pomegranate molasses recipe that uses the pulp and fiber from the fruit, with no added sugar!
Equipment
- chinois strainer
- stainless steel or ceramic pot
Ingredients
- whole pomegranate seeds (NOTE: If you start with 1 quart of seeds, you'll end up with about 1/4 cup of finished pomegranate molasses, so plan accordingly.)
- splash of water (To prevent scalding.)
- sweetener of your choice, to taste (We use liquid stevia.)
Instructions
- Place whole pomegranate seeds into pot on stovetop burner turned to medium heat. Add a splash of water to prevent fruit scalding.
- Cook pomegranates for ~20 minutes, stirring every few minutes to make sure all seeds cook evenly and don't stick to bottom of pan.
- Remove pomegranates from heat. Place chinois strainer over glass or metal bowl. Strain cooked pomegranates through the strainer using the pointed wooden pestle to remove as much of the juice and pulp from the seeds as possible. Alternative: If you don't have a chinois strainer, you can use a metal pasta strainer and a silicone spatula or wooden spoon.
- Measure how much juice and pulp you have because: a) you want to reduce it by about 50%, and b) you want to know how many canning jars you'll need.
- Pour juice and pulp back into pot on stovetop over medium low heat. Cook until liquid reduced by half. Larger batches (multiple quarts) may take over an hour, smaller batches (1 quart or less) can be done in ~30-45 minutes. Also, while cooking the pomegranate molasses, you can carefully skim off any foam that forms on the surface. (Save and use the foam because it's beautiful and delicious!)Once you've reduced the molasses to about 50% of its original level, add liquid stevia up to the sweetness level you desire.
- When done, can or store in fridge. We use the water bath method, but the only 100% safe canning method is to use a pressure canner. Alternately, if you're doing small batches of pomegranate molasses, you can just store your jars in the fridge.Use your pomegranate molasses as a flavoring in anything and everything you can think of - morning yogurt, salad dressing, shakes, sauces, ice cream, and more!