What could be a better use of a rainy June day but to start making jam and in my case our favourite Bumble Jelly - you might think it is a bit early in the season to be making jam but I had a pile of fruit from last summer in my freezer and (purists block your ears) you can make jam anytime from frozen fruit from the supermarket.
You might think that there are plenty of jams on the very same supermarket shelf I could buy rather than go to the effort of making my own but I have to say once you have tasted homemade you will know exactly why I invest the time - besides the pride of having your jars of glistening jam on your pantry shelf and being able to say to guests I made that! the other benefit is you know exactly what went into it - there are no preservatives, no colour additives to make it pretty and if you are lucky enough to grow your own then no pesticides either.
Making Jam is a bit of a labour of love - especially if like me you prefer seedless (jelly) rather than everything in (jam) and you do have to get a little bit organised in advance (see my Jam post) but trust me you will be rewarded tenfold
Our favourite jelly is Bumble Jelly - so call because my little fruit patch doesn't really give me enough of any one fruit to make specific jam so it all goes in - so rather than just call it mixed fruit I call it Bumble Jelly in honour of all the bees who work so hard to pollenate my fruit plants!
Ingredients:
At least 4lb of fruit (frozen or fresh)Equal amounts of sugar to juice - so if I make 2 pints of juice I will use 2lb of sugar
1 lemon juiced & zested
Day 1 - place all your fruit and lemon zest into a large saucepan over a low heat and allow the fruit to soften - crush the fruit with a potato masher to release more juice. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil - stirring or else it will burn! simmer for 3 minutes.
Turn off the heat and crush again with the masher.
Now you can do one of two things - if you want clear jam then skip the step below - if you don't mind it a bit cloudy then follow the step below - personally I prefer to get as much juice out as possible and I am going to be eating it not entering it in the WI bakefest so . . .
Put a fine sieve over a large bowl and ladle some of the fruit mix into it - squish gently to pass the liquid through - be careful not to press too hard or else little seeds could pass through into your jelly
Take a smaller bowl and line with a large muslin square which has been run under the cold tap and wrung out and ladle your sieved (or not) fruit mix in - once all your fruit is in the square carefully gather up the edges and wrap with a piece of string and tie securely. Now carefully hang your muslin ball of goo above the large bowl and allow gravity to do its work for 24 hours
Day 2 - Carefully cut down your by now red muslin ball and squeeze gently to get out any remaining juice - now at this point I will remove the fruit mix and rub through a sieve again. Dispose of your seed mix - the butterflys and bees and some birds will relish a pick/suck at this mush so I always pop it out for them. Rinse off your square and pop it in the next wash.
Add your lemon juice and carefully measure out your juice in a measuring jug and pour in to a large heavy bottom pan.
Put your oven on low
Measure out an equal amount of granulated sugar to the liquid - so for every pint = 1lb - place in a heat proof dish and place in the oven to warm up
Wash fully all your jars and disinfect - I use miltons. Dry full and then place in your oven along with their lids
Get out all your equipment ready
Pour the warmed sugar into the pan with the fruit juice and put over a low heat stirring until the sugar melts. Turn the heat up and place the thermometer in - once the liquid has come up to the marked Jam temp allow to boil for 3 minutes and then start checking for setting point
Take the jars out of the oven and stand on a heat proof surface - carefully ladle the jelly into them top with a wax paper circle and leave to cool
Do not put off washing up your jammy pots and pans - it you do it straight away it is much easier - if you leave it then you will be chipping toffee off them as the heat from the pan carries on cooking the leftover jam.
Once the jam is fully cold pop on the lids and lable and you are all ready to spread some on a slice of toast. . . heaven!
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