The jam is versatile, and the source suggests several ways to use it:
- With hot drinks: stir a spoonful into black or herbal tea instead of sugar, or serve it alongside tea in a small dish, especially in colder months.
- At breakfast: spread it thinly on toast, swirl it into porridge, or serve with pancakes — the thick texture holds well and does not soak in immediately.
- In desserts: use it as a topping for plain yoghurt, ice cream or cheesecake, where a neutral base lets the pine flavour stand out.
- Savoury pairing: a small amount on a cheese board works as an unusual alternative to fruit chutney, particularly with mature or salty cheeses.
As for the cones: in this style of preserve, the young cones are cooked slowly until soft and are traditionally eaten along with the syrup. They are chewier and more intensely flavoured than the syrup itself, so many people cut them into smaller pieces or nibble them with tea rather than eating them whole. If you find a cone too firm or too resinous for your taste, it is perfectly fine to use only the syrup — it carries most of the aroma on its own.
Because it is a concentrated, sweet preserve, a teaspoon or two per serving is usually enough; it is meant as an accent, not a base ingredient.