Thursday 4 November 2010

Jam making

Out of the blue a few months ago, I decided I would like to try making jam. I found an easy, hassle free recipe and a few days ago I finally got around to making my jam. I even bought some scones in English Afternoon Tea anticipation. Sadly, I was not happy with the results but I may give it another go sometime. I could taste the liquid pectin which is not very nice. The main problem was trying to get the plums to liquidise. I liked the idea of plum jam but if anybody else would like it, you may need to removed the skins off the plums first.

The recipe I used was from a Sainsbury's magazine that came free in the post. It is very simple, freezable and requires no cooking at all. I think this recipe was designed to be used in a hurry. If you have the time, try searching for one that includes cooking.

Sadly, I am unable to find the exact recipe I used online so I shall have to type it up.

No-cook, freezer friendly jam

Makes 2 litres (you may want to halve the quantities because this makes a lot)
Once defrosted, keep in fridge an use up in 3 weeks, chances are you will need to freeze at least a little of the jam.

600g blackberries (or substitute for other soft fruits like raspberries, strawberries or cherries. If the fruit has stones you will need to allow for this)
1kg caster sugar
250 bottle of liquid pectin (found on home baking aisles of most supermarkets. I found mine by the sugar)
2tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Place the blackberries in a large mixing bowl and use a potato masher to crush them
2. Fold in the caster sugar then add the pectin and lemon juice and stir until well combined
3. Pour the jam into the sterilised containers/jars, put the lids on and stand at room temperature for 24 hours
Done!

You can freeze this jam for up to a year. Make sure the jam is fully defrosted before using.

This is a very basic recipe and for me it did not work very well but if you are feeling lazy this is probably the easiest jam recipe. Like I said, when I tried mine I could taste the liquid pectin so next time I may adjust the quantity a little. It probably didn't help that I used plums and on the pectin bottle it said it was for raspberry and strawberry jam ^_^ If I had used strawberries, it may have tasted a lot nicer so please don't be put off!

My husband James liked the jam I made. He said it was very sweet but overall quite nice. The jam set really easily and the only real hassle was mashing up some very firm plums. Next time I plan to make blackberry jam. I predict that this batch will be more successful. I hope. :)



3 comments:

  1. I cook a lot and I'm one of those people who thinks that the longer it takes to make something, the better it is. This is especially true for foods like jam. If you want super quality jam, you're going to be standing over a boiling hot pot of sugar and fruit for a couple hours, and burning your hands on the sterilized jars.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sounds like an interesting recipe. Do you really need the pectin? I once made strawberry jam for some cupcakes and i'm sure i didn't use any.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bogdan Burca- Wow! Amazing photos! Of course you can be my friend. :)

    Yllsa- I totally agree. I was in a hurry which is why I used this recipe. I am looking for a different jam recipe at the moment. I think jam tastes better when it has been cooked. It would have definitely softened the plums in my jam nicely.

    Alice in Fashionland- I have no idea. This is the first time I have made jam and I typed up all the information given on the recipe. Pectin smells nasty >_< When I bought it I noticed jam sugar next to it on the shelf. I am going to see if I can find a recipe which uses this instead. If you have a lot of time I suggest looking up a different recipe instead of using this. I just used it because it was quick.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...