Jam site!

[Nicos]

i had a go at making plum jam last year - sorta worked but not brilliant
this year will have loads of loganberries, gooseberries, raspberries and plums
hoping someone will come round and make the jams etc for me ........
any volunteers?

Oooops was that a chat-up line FG??????

- can't you tell I've been out of circulation for quite a while?????

Fingers crossed for you!!!....What a wonderful offer for someone with a bit of spare time!!

[leicestershirelass]

Thanks Nicos .....

lots of new ideas ... wonder what the Elderflower and Gooseberry Jam tastes like ????

[Lizzy]

~What a brilliant site, thanks Nicos.
I bet elderflower and gooseberry would be a good mix. I make elderflower and lemon cordial and its beautiful.

Liz

[Farmer_Gyles]

Oooops was that a chat-up line FG??????

- can't you tell I've been out of circulation for quite a while?????

Fingers crossed for you!!!....What a wonderful offer for someone with a bit of spare time!!

no nicos - i've got much better chat up lines than "does anyone want to make jam for me?"

i'd just much rather have someone help me out than me mess it up ....

[Neek]

No you dont need a jam thermometer - do the set test - put a saucer in the fridge or freezer make jam to setting point suggested take pan off heat then put a small dollop int he centre of the sauce (about the size of the cup ring) leave for a couple of mins then push your finger through the dollop and it should wrinkle, if not put the cleaned sucer back in cold and put pan back on the heat and give it another five mins, only do five mins at a time and always take the pan off the heat as it'll continue to cook whilst you are testing.

[Farmer_Gyles]

i've got my first loganberries almost ready, with loads more to come - gooseberries nearly ready - some rhubarb, will have loads and loads of plums .......
i can see me making a real mess .....!

[Hilary B]

Jayneyo, I agree with Seahorse. I always did my jam making using the cold saucer and it does work. Not too big a dollop of jam though (a teaspoon is usually enough) as it will take a while to cool enough to "skin". In fact I do now have a jam thermometer but I am so oldfashioned that I am secretly nervous that it will explode in my jam!!! You can also do a flake test. Same principle. Put a very cold spoon in the jam, let it cool and then tilt the spoon. It should slide off slowly in a flake shape rather than a dollop or drop. Prefer the saucer myself. Incidentally, (in my opinion) strawberry jam is not a good one for testing by either of these methods as it is not a good setter on its own. If you are brave enough to use the thermometer and not a wimp like me it's probably a more reliable method. Lakeland or and good quality hardware store will sell them.

Strawberry jam needs a bit of help. If you don't want to use bought-in pectin (or the sugar with it added) stew some gooseberries or redcurrants (blackcurrants will do, but tend to colour the jam) in very little water until mushy, sieve the 'bits' out, and add the liquid/goo with the sugar. You need about 2 oz of 'setting aid fruit' per pound of strawberries.
The other possible source (prepared the same way) is cores and peel from cooking apples. You need a little more of that, and it takes longer to stew it enough.
Cooking thermometer is reliable, the saucer test is good once you are used to it....

[Nicos]

i can see me making a real mess .....!

I thought that's what lads do?????

[HeyWayne]

Now, I've never made jam before - never even thought about it truth be known. However, as those that have seen my blog recently will know, my apple tree which produced around 5 apples last year is laden with baby fruits, and I was wondering what to do with them all.

Looks like you've just given me the answer! Thanks.

I might be able to do something with blackberries too. There's an apple and elder berry recipe on there which looks interesting. Although the elder bush in teh garden is yet to flower so I guess it's unlikely to produce fruit this year (I hacked it right back early in the year).

Thanks again for the link Nicos, looks like I'll be trying my hand at jam this year too.

[Farmer_Gyles]

my apple tree which produced around 5 apples last year is laden with baby fruits, and I was wondering what to do with them all.

home made cider
i've got a big apple tree and a big pear tree - need to get an apple press so i can make cider and perry .........