Calendar
Summer Fruits
June sees the start of the summer fruit season. Soft fruits such as Strawberries, Raspberries, Black Currants and Gooseberries are popular choices for Jam.
Choose fruits which are not over ripe or damp.
Gently cook your fruit before adding sugar to soften the fruit and extract the pectin.
The flavour of the finished jam should be a balance of fruit and sugar. Small batches
of jam will produce the best flavour. Utensils, jars and lids for preserving are available
from Lakeland.
Strawberry and Apple Jam
- 2lb 8oz hulled, strawberries
- 8oz apple pulp
- 3lb granulated cane sugar
Method
Prepare the apple pulp. Peel core and thinly slice two large cooking apples. Put these in a pan with 3 tablespoons cold water. Cover the pan and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the apple is reduced to a pulp. Stir occasionally to prevent the apple from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Weigh the pulp and reserve 8oz.
Put the strawberries and apple pulp into a large preserving pan. Slowly bring the pan to the boil, and then reduce to a very gentle simmer for 20 minutes. Warm the sugar in a large glass bowl in a low oven temperature. Add the sugar to the jam and stir until dissolved. Boil the jam until the setting point is reached either when a teaspoonful of the jam placed on a cold plate will set and crinkle when pushed with a finger, or when the jam flakes off a spoon held over the pan.
Remove from the heat, and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Remove any scum from the surface of the jam with a large metal spoon. Stir gently to distribute the strawberries. Pot into clean jars and seal with new screw top lids.
Makes 4lb.
