Don't get in a Jam about . . .

Opening the store cupboard this morning I realised that we are down to the last of the last batch of jam I made last summer so the need to start thinking about making some more and that means digging in the back of the cupboard to find my Jam kit.

To me making jam is one of the true alchemy activities of cookery - this is probably mostly because my mum made it in what I used to think was a witches cauldren, but also because it appears to be a lot more complex than it actually is! Infact making Jam is actually pretty easy and homemade jam tastes a world away from the stuff you buy in the shops. You just need a few essential items and before you know it you will be mixing up your first batch and smiling proudly at the lined up jars.

Essential Kit!

A Heavy Bottomed pan - you need prolonged even heat and so need a decent pan and I wouldn't recommend a non stick one - you dont have to have one of the cauldren looking ones (otherwise known as a Preserving pan) but do need to invest in a heavy decent one.

A funnel to decant the jam into the jars - it will be hot so a metal one is the best

A collection of jam jars and lids - aim to use ones of the same size

A muslin square - if you are intending to make jelly (i.e. jam with out bits!)

A jam/sugar thermometer - it is essential you get your jam up to the right temp in order for it to set

Sterilising tablets - I use Miltons as they don't leave an after taste

A Wooden spoon (to stir with) a metal spoon / iced water to test with.

A Ladle

A timer - most recipes will give you a boil for XX time after which you need to be checking for the signs of setting - this is the science bit!

Wax circles - these help in stopping the mould setting in while your jam is sitting on the shelf waiting for you to open it.

Lables - you want to know what is in the jar a couple of months down the line right? You can use posh little funky jam lables if you want to (and have the budget) but a cut up sheet of cheap printer lables work just as well.


You can get jam making starter kits so if you like to have the exact tools for the job then it is worth having a shop around or places like the Range stock in expensive supplies so grab your list and get hunting!

Ingredients

Ok so you have your equipment and are ready to get jamming so what are you going to use

The most important thing is the fruit - there is no jam with out it - so this is your most important decision as the fruit you choose not only dictates the taste it dictates how easy or difficult it is to make work.

The thing which makes jam set is pectin and you have several choices - either add it by using jam sugar (which works out pretty expensive when you start looking at the amounts of sugar you are going to use) add it in the form of fruit pectin which can be bought on the internet or by selecting fruit which has a high pectin content such as cranberries and black currants or lemon (zest) So the rule of thumb is the more of pectin high fruits you use the quicker and easier it will be to get your jam to set and the lower the pectin content - fruit like strawberries - will be harder to work with.  If you are new to jam making I would advise you start with the former group of fruits until you get used to the processes.

It used to be that making jam used to meant a trip down to the pick your own farm or if you are lucky enough to have the space down the bottom of your garden to pick what the blackbirds haven't stolen but you can make perfectly good jam from the frozen fruit you can buy relatively cheaply in supermarkets - or use it to bulk out your fresh fruits.  This also means you can make jam at anytime of the year and not just wait for the summer gluts.

The other basic ingrediant is Granulated Sugar - on average this is the exact weight of the fruit or juice but check your recipe for exact amounts.

Some recipes also use lemon juice or zest (to help the setting) and water for low juice fruits

Jam that sets?

So how do you know it is ready? There are several methods and it is a case of finding the one which works for you

The line test - dip a cold metal spoon into the jam and allow the excess to drip off, carefully draw your finger along the back of the spoon - if it leaves a clear line then it is done

The ball test - drip a small amount of the jam into ice water - if it turns into a ball then it is done

The wrinkle test - either on a cold spoon or in iced water drip a little of the jam and nudge it with your finger nail - if it wrinkles then it is done.

Personally I am a wrinkler - I coat the back of a cold spoon with the jam and then run my finger nail through to create a wrinkler/line combo while my mum swears by the ball technique.


Tips


Clean your fruit, remove any stalks, dirt and any bad fruit as these will give your jam a bitter taste and increase the amount of scum you have to deal with, rince it with clean cold water before putting it in you pan

Heating your fruit gently before adding the sugar helps to release the juice as does crushing it with potato masher.

Put sugar in a heat proof dish and place in a low oven - this speeds up the melting process and lowers your chance of burning it

Sterilise your jars by following the instructions on the packaging and then place the jars in the oven - they need to be heated up to stop them cracking when you put the hot jam in them - plus it helps sterilise them further - also put the lids in

If you want clear jelly allow the fruit to drip slowly through a muslin square - it is very tempting to squidge it through instead but patience will bring the clearest result

Dont make jam when you have 15 other things to go - you need to concentrate and give the jam your full attention or it will all go horribly wrong and very quickly - so make a cup of tea and grab a chair, switch off the phone and switch on the ipod before you begin.

Dont over boil - jam over boiled goes toffee like and refuses to spread - but it can still be used in sauces, jam tarts etc so dont bin it - learn from it! - once you think your jam is getting there test, test and test again - use a timer and dont wander away - the difference between well set jam and toffee is a split second!

If you have a lot of scum on your jam you can either skim it off (but you do loose some jam doing this) live with it - to be honest this is usually my route - or add a small knob of butter to the finished jam before bottling - this disperses the scum.

Once the jam is in the jars place on the wax circle but dont put on the lid until it is fully cold - the exception to this is if you are using a kilner jar at which point you need to follow theproducts canning instructions.

Dont put your lable on until after the jam is cold

Once you have emptied your pan fill it with HOT soapy water - dried on jam = hard work with a brillo pad

Home made jam makes a brilliant gift and is sure to impress!



To make the best jam, take your time, dont rush it, enjoy the experience and mostly be proud of your product - as you grow in confidence you can switch around ingrediants and play with the amount of sugar you use - but until you get there follow the recipe to the letter



Happy Jamming!