Don’t miss the opportunity to gather free fruit from the hedgerows while you can, a few helpers are very useful! if you can’t manage to make the jam immediately, freeze for a later date. We all love it with scones from the oven, but also delicious with some flat breads, your early morning porridge, yogurt and granola.
1kg blackberries, stalks removed and washed
1kg sugar
Juice and rind of 1 large lemon
Large wide pot, sugar thermometer or digital probe, jam pots
Place the blackberries, sugar, lemon juice and rind in the large pot, bring the mixture to the boil, stirring until all the sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking for approximately 20 minutes or until it reaches 107oc on the probe. Remove from the heat and carefully transfer to sterilised jars, cover each with a disc of wax paper and seal tightly with a lid.
Store in a cool dark place for up to 12 months.
Cook’s notes
To sterilise the jars, wash well then place in a hot oven for 15 minutes.
If you don’t have a probe to hand to check the temperature, put a small plate in the freezer for 10 minutes until really cold, then place a small spoonful of the jam on the cold plate, once it’s cool, push it with your finger, if it wrinkles a little, it’s ready and has reached setting point.
Add a knob of butter just before you finish – this will help to dissolve any remaining residue.
Leave the jam for 15 mins before ladling into sterilised jars, this allows the fruit to settle. Refrigerate jars once opened.