Description
Angela’s flexible jam recipe allows you to create delicious homemade jams using a variety of fruits like blackberries, plums, raspberries, or strawberries. Each fruit has specific preparation and cooking times to help you achieve the perfect set and flavor. This method uses traditional stovetop simmering and boiling, resulting in rich, flavorful preserves that can be stored in sterilized jars for sharing or gifting.
Ingredients
Scale
Jam Ingredients
- 900g fruit (blackberries, plums – halved and stoned, raspberries, or strawberries), prepared weight
- 900g golden granulated sugar
- Knob of butter
- Water (depends on fruit): 50ml for blackberries, 150ml for plums
- Lemon juice (depends on fruit): 1½ tbsp for blackberries, 3 tbsp for strawberries
Instructions
- Prepare the fruit and liquids: Place the chosen prepared fruit into a preserving pan or a large heavy-based saucepan. Add appropriate liquids based on the fruit: for blackberries add 50ml water and 1½ tablespoons lemon juice; for plums add 150ml water; for strawberries add 3 tablespoons lemon juice with no water; for raspberries add no water or lemon juice.
- Bring fruit to boil and simmer: Heat the mixture to boiling point. Lower the heat and simmer until the fruit is soft according to type: 15 minutes for blackberries, 30–40 minutes for plums, 2 minutes for raspberries, and 5 minutes for strawberries.
- Add sugar and dissolve: Tip in the golden granulated sugar and stir gently over very low heat until it dissolves completely.
- Boil rapidly to set point: Increase heat to bring mixture to a full rolling boil. Rapidly boil for the fruit-specific time without stirring: 10–12 minutes for blackberries, 10 minutes for plums, 5 minutes for raspberries, or 20–25 minutes for strawberries. Boil until the setting point of 105°C (221°F) is reached.
- Finish and settle: Remove from heat and skim off any excess scum. Stir a knob of butter over the surface to dissolve remaining scum and enhance clarity. Let the jam sit for about 15 minutes to settle.
- Jar and seal: Pour the jam into sterilised jars, label with date and type, and seal. Let cool completely before storing.
Notes
- Use a preserving or heavy-based saucepan to prevent the jam from burning.
- The knob of butter helps reduce scum and produce clearer jam.
- Temperature is critical; the jam sets at 105°C (221°F).
- Always sterilise jars before filling to ensure preservation.
- Adjust simmering and boiling time based on the fruit used for optimal texture.
- Printable preserve labels are useful for noting the jam type and cooking date.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: Variable: blackberry 25–27 mins, plum 40–50 mins, raspberry 7 mins, strawberry 30–35 mins
- Category: Preserves
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: jam recipe, homemade jam, blackberry jam, plum jam, raspberry jam, strawberry jam, preserving, stovetop jam, fruit preserves
