This week's domestic art is jam making - I've done it before, and was surprised how easy it was. But it seemed even easier this time around, as you'll see from my pictures.
All you need is a large saucepan, or a couple of smaller ones, some jam sugar (which even comes with the recipe on the back) and lots of strawberries. It was a good job we bought several punnets from the Pick Your Own shop as they were so yummy compared to some rather dismal supermarket strawberries that there might not have been any left for jam making!
You also need a collection of jars.
First, weigh out 800g of strawberries (I had to split mine between two saucepans), and mash them up.
Add a kilo of jam sugar (jam sugar has some added pectin in to help it set)
Gently warm (left saucepan) until it comes to a boil (right saucepan) and then boil vigorously for 4 minutes. This is the only potentially dodgy part as molten strawberry sugar mixture can be quite lethal, but this year I even managed not to cover the kitchen in pink goo (the key was not to overfill the saucepans!) or myself.
Pour into jars...and then enjoy. So far we've enjoyed it on toast, in a Victoria jam sponge, and straight out of the pot...
Congratulations on getting strawberry jam to set. It can be a bit of a beast, particularly later on in the season when the fruit is very ripe.
ReplyDeleteMy mouth is watering for strawberry jam! The crop last year was the worst is over 60 years according to a farmer nearby...we didn't pick a single one. Here's hoping this is a better year.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the cheery photos this morning, Verity!
Mmmm, homemade jam. I will have to bookmark this post as I now want to make some.Your recipe makes it sound so easy.
ReplyDeleteThat looks very tempting jam, Verity.
ReplyDeleteThat looks very tempting jam, Verity
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful jam! I had no idea it was so easy to make, although given the extent of my ability to screw up in the kitchen, I'll probably stick to bought jam. :)
ReplyDeleteI love making jam, it's surprisingly easy isn't it!
ReplyDeleteOh yummy, that strawberry jam looks delicious. You are quite the domestic goddess ;)
ReplyDeleteThis looks yummy. I have always wanted to make my own jame but assumed that it would be quite a faff. I will have to try your recipe out!
ReplyDeleteOops, I thought my first try at leaving a comment hadn't worked, so apologies for duplicating it.
ReplyDeleteI am allergic to strawberries but that jam looks luscious, and would tempt me to risk eating some.
It was lovely jam!
ReplyDeleteAlison - that explains why my second batch last summer didn't work...
Darlene - I hope you will get plenty of strawbs this year - often a really good year follows a bad one.
Geraldine - bad luck with the allergies - I would be very sad not to be able to indulge. Do you have another favourite jam?
A bookish space - it's not a faff at all!
Jenny - I didn't think I could make jam, but I could - it's worth trying, really.
Dot - it is, isn't it - you think the fuss that people make that it would be really hard....
Skirmish of wit - thank you!
Mmmm, raspberry, apricot, plum, blackberry and apple.
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