Remove stems and seeds from fruits. The flower ends and seed membranes are fine to leave in, as they contain pectin. Add fruit pieces to a 2 quart (liter) or larger saucepot
2 lbs (900 g) fresh loquats
Stir sugar into pot, coating fruits. Macerate for 30 minutes.
1 ½ cup (300 g) raw sugar (cane sugar, sucanat, demerara, etc.)
Add lemon juice and cinnamon stick, if using. Simmer mixture over medium heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or burning to bottom of pot.
3 Tbsp (45 ml) lemon juice, 1 cinnamon stick, optional
In a large canning pot, add jars, lids, rings, tongs, and a canning funnel. Cover with water and bring to a boil 10-15 minutes to sterilize them.
Remove jam mixture from heat. Remove cinnamon stick, and with an immersion blender, blend mixture into a chunky applesauce consistency. (Or wait until cools down, then transfer to blender as soon as it is cool enough to handle.)
Stir in vanilla extract.
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
Remove and drain sterilized jars from canning pot. Leave pot simmering, adding water as needed in order to submerge the tallest jar 1 inch.
Carefully fill jam into jars with canning funnel, leaving about 1/2 inch (1 cm) of space from the top of each jar.
Add lids and/or rings to the jars, and submerge in boiling water. Boil for 10 minutes.
Remove jars and let cool. Loosen rings on jars if using mason rings/jars. Jars will seal themselves as they cool. If any jars don't seal, store them in the refrigerator and consume them first.