Indulge in nature's unusual bounty with this naturally sweetened Honey Loquat Butter, which is just begging to be spread on some fresh crusty bread or used as a sweetener in baked goods in place of apple sauce.
Loquat Butter
If you are lucky enough to have a loquat tree in your yard, or a neighbor with a loquat tree then you are going to just love this recipe.
Especially if your tree ripens all at once and you need to use up a LOT of fruit in a very short period of time....which let's face it, it does every time!
Where To Get Loquats
Loquats tend to be the type of fruit you have to get from a tree in your own yard, or from a friend's tree.
The fruit itself does not last very long once it has been picked, which is why it has not been sold in stores or farmer's markets over the years.
I have noticed them popping up at farmer's markets now and again though in recent years, so if you do happen to come across some be sure to snatch them up, they won't last long and they taste just delicious.
TIP: use within a day or two of being picked as they very quickly go from perfect to overripe.
Tips, Tricks and Substitutions
There is something oddly rewarding with preserving fruits and vegetables when you are faced with an unusual amount that needs to be used up quickly.
Using up loquats is certainly no exception.
I make massive batches of this loquat butter.
My last batch used 3 buckets of loquats!
Good thing it freezes well.
TIP: freeze in individual serving sizes, or in mini mason jars so that a small amount can be thawed at a time.
I used honey as a sweetener for my loquat butter as I find it pairs well with the flavor of the loquat.
I find the loquats sweet on their own, so don't find the need for much sweetener, but add more if you prefer.
You can always sub in another liquid sweetener of choice like maple syrup or agave syrup.
How To Use Loquat Butter
This stuff is pretty versatile.
Use wherever you would use a jam or a preserve.
You can also use:
- in place of applesauce in baking;
- in place of mashed banana in baking;
- dolloped on some yogurt for breakfast;
- dolloped on top of some pancakes or waffles;
- in muffins or baked goods in place of eggs (I like using it in this Banana and Peach Butter Bread with a Chia Crunch in place of the peach butter).
Do you have any loquat recipes you love to use when spring hits and the loquats are plentiful?
Feel free to share them in the comments, I am sure everyone would love to hear all about them.
Happy eating.
xx
Recipe
Naturally Sweetened Honey Loquat Butter
Ingredients
- 3 lbs loquats, halved and de-seeded
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Add the halved and de-seeded loquats to a large saucepan. Add enough water just to cover the loquats. Bring to a boil, once boiling, reduce heat and allow loquats to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Loquats should be tender but intact
- Drain water from the loquats. Place loquats in a high powered blender and blend until desired consistency is reached (I like mine smooth but it can be chunky as well)
- Put loquat puree back to the saucepan. Add in the honey and lemon juice and stir well to combine. Heat over a medium heat until the butter has thickened slightly, stirring often to prevent burning on the bottom. This should take 15-20 mins
- Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before transferring to glass jars and storing in the fridge
Gail says
Excellent finding this recipe. We have 3 large trees (in SW Sydney, Australia) and this is the first year, out of almost 20, that we have decided to actually do something with them. Bonus they are so good nutritionally also!
Donna says
So jealous you have the trees in Sydney, I haven't seen them around much in Aus! Enjoy!! They are fiddly, but so worth the effort
Barbara Britton says
I was given 6lbs of loquats and this recipe was the perfect use for them. I did peel them (warning - loquats will stain your fingers a kind of brownish color) and I also processed the jars in a water bath for 10 minutes so they should keep for at least a year.
Donna says
It is always so nice to receive a big batch of homegrown fruit! Enjoy 🙂
Michele Francine says
AWESOME recipe. I discovered Loquats walking with a friend at her place in the Hollywood Hills. We asked the gardeners what these pretty ripe things are. He said its 5the fruit from God. We had to Google it. So many healthy properties with this fresh fruit its unbelievable . So i found your recipe as we took the car back for as many as we could reach. I made your butter and its amazing. Wish i could post a picture. Thanks for sharing. Quarantine 2020 April 26th
Donna says
This makes me so happy to hear Michele! We have been missing our loquat tree since moving back to Australia (it's so hard to find them here!) Glad to bring a little brightness into your quarantine experience 🙂 Thanks for popping in to let me know!
Tammy says
How long does it keep in the refrigerator and do you think it would freeze well? How much is considered a serving? Do you peel the loquats for this recipe?
Donna says
Hi Tammy, I usually keep mine in the fridge for about a week. It freezes just perfectly, I usually make a big batch and freeze a couple of small jelly jars worth to use throughout the year. You can peel them if you want, I don't and find that as we are blending it you really don't need to. Enjoy
Sandra Nicky says
TY so much! Until I bought my FL home, I never even heard of a loquat! The 1st yr, my loquat tree sprouted “thousands” also!
Just picked a few pounds & made “Smoothies” using my InstaPot! Halved, pitted, steamed, puréed. Honey as a sweetener in the blender.
I put one container in freezer to experiment. Wish me luck!
Sandra
Donna says
Those trees produce so much fruit don't they!! So yummy 🙂
lisa says
I thought that I was pretty well versed with ingredients, but I've never even heard of loquats before. What do they taste like? From the look, I'm imagining an apricot flavor, but I have no idea. That said, there's nothing more satisfying than preserving fruits and vegetables when you have a huge bounty... We face the same every year when my Mom's guava tree starts producing... Love this.
Donna1 says
Oh believe me, I had never heard of them until we moved into this house and ended up with a tree growing THOUSANDS!! They are like a cross between apricot and kumquat, so good but a little tedious to work with given the massive seed in every one.