Triple Berry Spread

My sister was visiting on her last day before she heads back up to school (shes such a smart cookie :)). We just got back from the Dutch Market up the street and I though it would be neat to send her back to school with something sweet that she can use. I had about 6 cups of frozen mixed strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. I didn't want to make jam because I'd have to chop everything a little more than it already was. So I decided we were going to make a mixed berry spread. I slightly modified the recipe that I was given by the sweet lady at the Dutch Market.

Here's the original recipe (I thought it had too much sugar):

Dutch Jelly/Jam

2 cups fruit

4 cups sugar

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup dutch jell (like Sure Jell or generic pectin)

Mix fruit and sugar and let it stand for 10 minutes. Boil water and dutch jell for 3 minutes. Add the fruit and sugar mixture. Bring to a full rolling boil. Stir for 3 minutes, bringing back to a full boil. Remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars and process or let cool and refrigerate.

Here's my version:

Triple Berry Spread

6 cups fruit

8 cups sugar (I'll decrease this next time to 6 cups since I think it was too sweet)

2-1/2 cups water

1-1/2 cups dutch jell

Mix fruit and sugar and let it stand for 10 minutes. Boil water and dutch jell for 3 minutes. Put sugar and fruit through a food processor until its the consistency of a very thick smoothie (no big chunks). Add the mixture to the water/jell mixture. Bring to a full rolling boil. Stir for 8 minutes, bringing back to a full boil. Remove from heat. Ladle into prepared jars, let cool and refrigerate.

We put them in the jars and went to a movie. After we came back we noticed that the spread that was in the jars settled a bit and there seemed to be some liquid on the bottom (I think its because of the amount of sugar we used). The consistency after it cooled was almost like a thick mousse - very light and almost poofy :) very surprising.

I had her take 2 jars and give my brother and other sister 2 jars each. I kept the left over big jar.
I had the spread on wheat toast this morning :) It was delicious!

Cheers!