Jam, jelly or the now infamous jeackle (a jam that went horribly wrong and can now be used in a variety of household applications)... it's all the same.
Once you know the basics, you can have a good play, so here are the basics (I may or may not repeat them in each blog post, so read this page if you're unsure):
Basic jam recipe:
- equal quantities of sugar and fruit (you can also use slightly more fruit to sugar (60%), but the jam won't last quite as long... as if it was going to anyway! I try to use the 60-40 proportions and have successfully stored vacuum-sealed jam for over a year)
- 1 sachet of pectin for each kilo of sugar (or use jam sugar, or omit the pectin entirely and be prepared to boil for longer)
Put the fruit* and sugar in a large, heavy-bottomed pan, like a crock-pot and bring to a simmering point gently, so that the sugar is dissolved and the fruit juices have time to come out.
Take this time to prepare your pots. Make sure they are clean, then pour boiling water over them, wait 5 minutes and then transfer them to a warm oven to sterilise further and keep warm until you need them. I always use Kilner jars because they are so easy and you know if you have a seal or not.
Also put a small plate in the fridge or freezer ready for the set-testing.
Once you're ready for the action, wham up the heat under the pot so that it come up the a rolling boil. This should form large glossy bubbles rolling up from around the edges and disappearing in the centre, where often a puddle of froth will form (some call it "scum", which is far less appetising!). Don't worry about the froth - just add a knob of butter and stir it all back in. As long as you've washed your fruit, it won't contain any nasty bits.
After about 5 minutes, depending on the fruit, it might be time to test the set. Take the cold plate out, and drop a teaspoonful of the liquid onto it. Let it cool for about 30 seconds and if it wrinkles when you push it with your finger, you're done and it's time to bottle it all up. If it doesn't, let it boil for a few minutes more and test it again. Rinse and repeat until it's just right.
Once in the jars, screw the lids on and there you have it.
*not apple. Sugar hardens the fruit too, so if you put apple in at the same time as the sugar, it won't purée down. If you want apple purée (more on this later) then make it in a separate pan first.
Once you know the basics, you can have a good play, so here are the basics (I may or may not repeat them in each blog post, so read this page if you're unsure):
Basic jam recipe:
- equal quantities of sugar and fruit (you can also use slightly more fruit to sugar (60%), but the jam won't last quite as long... as if it was going to anyway! I try to use the 60-40 proportions and have successfully stored vacuum-sealed jam for over a year)
- 1 sachet of pectin for each kilo of sugar (or use jam sugar, or omit the pectin entirely and be prepared to boil for longer)
Put the fruit* and sugar in a large, heavy-bottomed pan, like a crock-pot and bring to a simmering point gently, so that the sugar is dissolved and the fruit juices have time to come out.
Take this time to prepare your pots. Make sure they are clean, then pour boiling water over them, wait 5 minutes and then transfer them to a warm oven to sterilise further and keep warm until you need them. I always use Kilner jars because they are so easy and you know if you have a seal or not.
Also put a small plate in the fridge or freezer ready for the set-testing.
Once you're ready for the action, wham up the heat under the pot so that it come up the a rolling boil. This should form large glossy bubbles rolling up from around the edges and disappearing in the centre, where often a puddle of froth will form (some call it "scum", which is far less appetising!). Don't worry about the froth - just add a knob of butter and stir it all back in. As long as you've washed your fruit, it won't contain any nasty bits.
After about 5 minutes, depending on the fruit, it might be time to test the set. Take the cold plate out, and drop a teaspoonful of the liquid onto it. Let it cool for about 30 seconds and if it wrinkles when you push it with your finger, you're done and it's time to bottle it all up. If it doesn't, let it boil for a few minutes more and test it again. Rinse and repeat until it's just right.
Once in the jars, screw the lids on and there you have it.
*not apple. Sugar hardens the fruit too, so if you put apple in at the same time as the sugar, it won't purée down. If you want apple purée (more on this later) then make it in a separate pan first.
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