General Chat

can anyone please supply me with an easy, foolproof recipe to make jam. preferably strawberry and raspberry. i need to make 2 jars for our annual country show in july and have never made jam before. so would like to have a practice beforehand to see how it turns out.

do you let it cool before putting in the jars and what about the circles of grease proof paper, my nanna use to put on the top?

i really have no idea at all, so thats why it needs to be a straightforward recipe. if it were for victoria sponge, then i would have no problem as i do them all the time, just never ventured across into the jam making before.

thanks
florence

Make it in the microwave, it is much easier

Strawberry / Raspberry microwave jam

2lbs of fruit
2lbs jam sugar with added pectin (not ordinary sugar, you can buy it in most supermarkets)
Knob butter


Use a large Pyrex bowl (4pt size), or something similar which will fit in the microwave


Microwave fruit in covered bowl ( I put a plate on top) for 5 mins, then mash
Add sugar and butter
Cook on high for 5 mins then stir to make sure all the sugar is dissolved
Cook for further 10 mins, or less depending on when it passes the setting test.

Setting test, get a tea plate and put some cold water on it, take a teaspoon of the jam and drop it in the water. If it stays together it is fine, if it spreads all out,so it looks like it is dissolving, it needs more cooking

The times are variable because of different microwaves
Take care because the sugar is extremely hot in a microwave. When you lift the plate off, open at the edge away from you to avoid the steam.
If you want to scale it up, only do it by half as much again, or it may come out of the bowl.
Once you have done one batch, you will know how your bowl/microwave copes., so may be able to double it


I thought that this was far too sweet when I made it last year, so put only three quarters of the sugar in this year. Low pectin fruits are difficult to set, so you can’t reduce the sugar too much. Plus if you reduce the sugar, the jam is very stiff and full of fruit.

Put the clean dry jars in the oven on low heat until they are hot, this sterilises them. Put the very hot jam into the jars, they will be fine. You can but the wax circles from most supermarkets. if you want to buy new jars, you can find them on the Lakeland website

Equal amounts of raspberries to preserving or jam sugar. Warm sugar first - just enough to take the coldness off.

Place raspberries and sugar in very large pan - if only making 2 jars then a large saucepan or pressure cooker would do. Medium heat, break down raspberries with masher and stir continually until sugar has dissolved using a wooden spoon.

(Whilst all this is going on, place a couple of saucers in freezer and jars in oven on lowest heat - you want them warm not hot so you cannot touch them!)

Bring contents to a boil - skim off the froth as best you can, when on boil, lower heat to a rolling boiling for about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat, pour a teaspoon of jam on saucer from freezer and leave for a minute and then with your finger push the jam - if it wrinkles it has reached setting point - if not put back on heat and try again in 2 minutes. When is is reached put a large knob of butter or similar into jam and stir - this will give it clarity.

Pot immediately cover with circles of 'jam paper' (or use the inner of a cereals box) and top with lid.

N.B. Think that for shows etc you have to use a paper/cotton cover instead of lid and label in best handwriting! Good luck.

OH has made it last 2 years and if he can anyone can.

Strawberry much the same way except cut strawberries and when reached setting point set aside for 5 minutes and stir so berries do not sink to bottom of jar.

Linda I tried with micro several times over past 25 years and lost out every time. It is so quick on the hob not worth the hassle but that is me.

She has two methods now!!!!

I hate doing it on the hob because it has a tendency to burn. I have an allotment,so we have loads of raspberries, I make a couple of jars every day as the berries ripen

We have allotment too - we just open freeze ours on trays - then bag in single pounds until we are ready. Some was made about 4-5 weeks ago. We used all raspberries now but there are gooseberries/cherries to use before the new lot are ready!

Never had a problem with burning - but each to their own at least Florence has the choice of two now!

chris and linda, thankyou very much for your recipes. when i have tried them out, i will get back to you and let you know how they turned out.

much appreciated
florence

Really, really easy Balsamic Strawberry Jam

2 cups chopped strawberries
1 cup sugar
2 tablspoons balsamic vinegar

Cook strawberries, sugar and balsamic vinegar in a medium pan on medium heat for about 20 mins stirring occasionally. When the jam mixture has reduced to the consistency of thick honey, remove from heat and pour into jars.

I know adding balsamic vinegar sounds strange, but it really makes a yummy jam!!

girl from oz, thankyou for your recipe but can you tell me in ounces how much is a cup?
florence

Florence, I wouldn't think it matters as you are getting the same ratio in the cups if they are the same size etc

I think I might try to make some later on when the strawberries are more easily available locally

Lizx

Some really good recipes and suggestions, I wonder if you would take a look at Culinary Delights and consider adding some recipes on there,
You will see that they are intended to help a good cause.
Thank you.


PS if you are already posting on there

Thank You.

Australian cups are the same as UK .................. 10 oz

20 oz = 1 pint liquid


American and Canadian cups are 8 oz

16 oz = 1 US pint



sylvia

If you're still not convinced about just how easy it is to make gorgeous jams, follow Delia's 10-point plan for success every time!

1 Sugar has a hardening effect, so tough-skinned fruits should always be simmered before the sugar is added to the pan.

2 Conversely, soft-skinned fruits, such as strawberries, which tend to disintegrate when cooked, should be soaked in sugar first, to harden them and help keep the fruit whole in the finished jam.

Fresh-apricot

3 The sugar should be completely dissolved before the jam reaches the boil, otherwise it will be difficult to set and the finished jam will be sugary. To test if the sugar is dissolved, dip a wooden spoon in, turn it over and if no sugar crystals are visible in the liquid that coats the back of the spoon, it has indeed dissolved. (To be quite sure, stir well and repeat this test a couple of times.) To speed up the dissolving process, you can warm the sugar in a bowl in the oven before adding it.

4 Don’t try to make too large a quantity of jam in one go. It will take far too long to come to the boil, and then will not boil rapidly enough to produce a good set.

5 How to test for a set: at the same time as you begin cooking the fruit, place three or four saucers in the freezing compartment of the fridge. When you have boiled the jam for the given time, remove the pan from the heat and place a teaspoonful of the jam on to one of the chilled saucers. Let it cool back in the fridge, then push it with your finger: if a crinkly skin has formed on the jam, then it has set. It if hasn’t continue to boil for another 5 minutes, then do another test.

6 Don’t worry about any scum that rises to the surface while the jam is boiling – if you keep skimming it off, you’ll finish with no jam at all! Instead, wait until you have a set, then remove the jam from the heat and stir in a small lump of butter, which will disperse the scum.

7 Once the jam has set, leave it to settle for 15 minutes or so – particularly with jam containing whole fruit, such as strawberry or damson, or chunky marmalade – to prevent the fruit from rising to the top when it’s poured into the jar. Then pour into clean, dry, hot jars, filling them as near to the top as possible. Straightaway, place a waxed disc over the surface, then seal with a lid. Wipe the jars with a warm, damp cloth.

8 Don’t put the labels on until the jam is cold – otherwise the heat will prevent them sticking properly and they’ll fall off for sure.

9 Store in a cool, dry and preferably dark place. Too much light is not good for storage, while a damp or steamy atmosphere can cause mould to develop on the surface of the jam.

10 If things go wrong: if the jam hasn’t set after cooling and potting, tip it all back into the pan and boil again, adding the juice of a small lemon; if mould develops on the surface of jam in a jar, remove it with a spoon, along with about half an inch (1 cm) of the jam underneath – rest assured, the rest of the jam will not be affected – and place a waxed disc dipped in brandy on top.

I will forward some recipes today but have always found these tips to be very useful

1. You will need a preserving pan or a large, heavy-based saucepan; a 23 cm square of muslin (or gauze); some string; a funnel; and six 350 ml capacity jars, sterilised.

2. Begin by measuring 2.25 litres water into a preserving pan, then cut the lemon and oranges in half and squeeze the juice out of them. Add the juice to the water and place the pips and any bits of pith that cling to the squeezer on the square of muslin (laid over a dish or cereal bowl first).

3. Now cut the orange peel into quarters with a sharp knife, and then cut each quarter into thinnish shreds. As you cut, add the shreds to the water and any pips or spare pith you come across should go on to the muslin. The pith contains a lot of pectin so don't discard any and don't worry about any pith and skin that clings to the shreds - it all gets dissolved in the boiling.

4. Now tie the pips and pith up loosely in the muslin to form a little bag, and tie this on to the handle of the pan so that the bag is suspended in the water. Then bring the liquid up to simmering point and simmer gently, uncovered, for 2 hours or thereabouts until the peel is completely soft (test a piece carefully by pressing it between your finger and thumb). Meanwhile, chill the saucers in the freezer compartment of the fridge.

5. Next, remove the bag of pips and leave it to cool on a saucer. Then pour the sugar into the pan and stir it now and then over a low heat, until all the crystals have dissolved (check this carefully, it's important). Now increase the heat to very high and squeeze the bag of pips over the pan to extract all of the sticky, jelly-like substance that contains the pectin. As you squeeze you'll see it ooze out. You can do this by placing the bag between two saucers or using your hands. Then stir or whisk it into the rest.

6. As soon as the mixture reaches a really fast boil, start timing. Then after 15 minutes spoon a little of the marmalade on to one of the cold saucers from the fridge, and let it cool back in the fridge. You can tell - when it has cooled - if you have a 'set' by pushing the mixture with your little finger: if it has a really crinkly skin, it is set. If not, continue to boil the marmalade and give it the same test at about 10-minute intervals until it does set

two more stages to follow.

7. After that remove the pan from the heat (if there's a lot of scum, most of it can be dispersed by stirring in half a teaspoon of butter, and the rest can be spooned off). Leave the marmalade to settle for 20 minutes.

8. In the meantime, the jars should be washed, dried and heated in a moderate oven for 5 minutes. Pour the marmalade, with the aid of a funnel or a ladle, into the jars, cover with waxed discs and seal while still hot. Label when cold and store in a dry, cool, dark place. Then hurry up and make some toast to try some!

Know where as complicated as it reads, it has always worked for me and my friends.

hi sylvia,liz and spanish eyes. thankyou all very much for your tips and recipes. i shall be trying them out soon and will let you know how i got on.
much appreciated
florence

hello everybody who offered me jam making recipes earlier in the year. well i have made 2 lots and with great success.i made strawberry jam with equal amounts of fruit to sugar and 3 lemons. within 1 hour my jam was setting and the next morning i had it on fresh crumpets, yum yum.

so thanks for all your ideas and suggestions. lets hope at my annual show on the 29 jul, my jam will be rewarded with a little rosette!( well heres hoping)
florence
in the hebrides :-) :-)

Don't agree with Delia's plan re the strawberries in sugar. Never had any problem with most of berries keeping their shape and OH made starwberry jam about 3-4 weeks ago.

hi chris, i just cut the tops of the strawberries and left them whole in the pan with the juice of 3 lemons. after 20 mins, i mashed down the mixture and added the sugar and the 6 1/2 lemons. hard boiled for 20 mins. did the wrinkle test and then poured into the warmed jars(removed the lemon halves of course first).the jam started setting after about 1/2 hour.

i never realised how easy it was til now. definately will be trying out some more very soon.

florence
in the hebrides :-)

Florence - I just leave the strawberries whole if they are small, and cut into halves or quarters or eights as some were huge this year. I do not use lemon but use Preserving or Jam Sugar - leave strawberry jam to cool for 5-10 mins - stir well and then pot.

Raspberries I mash well OH is my hands now - I keep saying 'I' when it should be 'he'!

Long as you enjoy it - nothing tastes so nice.

How did you go on at the show?