Before we came to Thailand, I confess: I didn’t know what a mulberry was. I thought it might be similar to a blueberry, but it turns out it isn’t even close.

Actually, it’s a small cluster of tiny purple (almost black) berries. Before they’re ripe, they’re tart and bright red; once they’re ready, they’ll be sweet and juicy!

Fresh jars of Den Chai Mulberry Jam. (Outpost / Michael Fraiman)

This is the perfect time to make them into a jam and spread it on some fluffy, homemade multigrain bread, which is exactly what our hosts at the Den Chai Mulberry Farm did. Alek, a kitchen wizard, whipped up some of the most hearty, delicious mulberry jam and bread in the world (a claim I make having never tried any other recipes, but still!).

I knew I’d want to replicate the experience at home, and asked her for her recipes. Here they are, so you can enjoy them, too.

Alek’s mulberry jam. (Outpost / Michael Fraiman)

Alek’s Mulberry Jam Recipe

Mulberry Jam Ingredients

• 1kg frozen mulberries
• 1 c lemon juice
• 200g brown sugar
• 2 tbsp pectin (she uses organic, even though it’s far more expensive)

Mulberry Jam Recipe

1. In a bowl, combine frozen mulberries (washed, cleaned and roughly broken into small pieces) and lemon juice
2. In another bowl, combine sugar and pectin
3. Add sugar/pectin mixture to the mulberries
4. Pour mixture into pot and bring to a boil
5. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer for approximately 40 minutes
6. While mixture is simmering, boil and sterilize jars and lids
7. After 40 minutes, put mixture into jars and tighten lids. Let sit for 30 minutes, or until room temperature and then store in freezer

Note: we got approximately 12 250-ml jars from this recipe.

Alek’s hearty multigrain bread. (Outpost / Michael Fraiman)

Alek’s Multigrain Mulberry Bread Recipe

Multigrain Mulberry Bread Ingredients

• 2 c white flour
• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp yeast
• 1.5 c warm water
• 2 tbsp oil
• A few handfuls of any seeds you like (Alek uses sunflower, sesame, raisins and dried mulberries)

Multigrain Mulberry Bread Recipe

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Mix all ingredients together. If using a bread maker to mix dough, use medium speed. Do not over process the dough.
3. Once dough is formed, cut into chunks of 550g and push into greased bread/loaf pan, making sure to push all air bubbles out
4. Let the bread rest for about three to five minutes, then put into oven
5. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes

Note: Temperatures, rise times and cook times may vary in different countries due to humidity and elevation differences; this recipe worked great for Alek, but she lives in a mountainous humid jungle region of Northern Thailand, so don’t be surprised if you need to adjust the baking time to suit your own home.