Summer Berry Jam
Summer time and the berries are ripening!! The colour and taste of this blackberry jam is too good not to share with you. If you’ve never made jam, it really is sooo easy – give it a try.
Blackberry Jam
750g berries
1/4 cup water
650 g sugar (berry jam is usually equal weight fruit and sugar but I like to cut back a little bit on the white stuff)
25g jam setting mixture (which is sugar, pectin and citric acid and is optional to aid setting)
Juice of 1 lemon, strained
Wash the berries carefully and pick over to remove any stalks etc. Combine berries, water and juice in a saucepan and simmer for a few minutes. Add sugar and jam setting mixture, stir to dissolve. Simmer for a further 25 minutes or until set (see the note below re testing).
Pack warm into sterilised jars with as few air bubbles as possible; cool and seal.
Test for setting by placing a teaspoonful of jam onto a plate, allow to cool. Push the jam with your finger; if the surface wrinkles it is set.
Note. If you are picking wild roadside blackberries, you need to be absolutely sure that they haven’t been sprayed with chemicals.