Does anyone else make jam?

[DumbledoresGirl]

Or am I the only one?

What have you made lately?

This weekend, I picked nearly 20lbs of soft fruit and so far I have made:

5 jars of raspberry and redcurrant jam
7 jars of redcurrant jelly
5 jars of raspberry and blackcurrant jam
51/2 jars of raspberry jam

This was last year's jam dg. And it is still perfectly good now (half a jar left), apart from being too set. I think I was maybe worrying too much about it not setting IYSWIM, and then ending up the other way.

Thanks will try and be more careful tonight.

Best way to test for setting - put saucers into fridge (or even freezer for a while) - jam cools more quickly on this than a plate at room temperature so that you can tell when its ready - when cool a skin will form that can be dragged a bit across the plate - before this you just end up with a finger full of runny jam (can't think where that ends up!)

I'm loving this jam thread . Some great ideas and suggestions. I'm all plummed out and running out of freezer room, not sure what to do with what remains on the tree other than turn the rest into jam pronto!

DG - how much lemon juice per lb of fruit would I need to add to replace pectin lost in the freeze/thaw, do you think?

Someone asked about rhubarb + ginger - don't have recipe here, but will get it off mum. Think she just uses powdered ginger. There is a recipe in the Lakeland catalogue that uses crystallised ginger.

Just remembered something re strawberry jam - my granny was a prolific jam maker and she used to put strawberry jelly into the jam to get a set if all else failed.

Must say re testing for a set, I have never managed to get the wrinkling thing, ever...... what am I doing wrong? Not leaving it to cool long enough? My first ever jam was a disaster as a consequence, as was the pan. I kept boiling it dementedly, testing, no wrinkling and boiling again several times. What I find works instead is to run my finger through the jam to create a 'path' - if the jam runs into the path immediately it's not set, if it stays there a while then it's OK. Am tempted by a thermometer though.

Oh, the joys

am I ok to freeze the fruit first before i make jam- or does that do something. My crops aren't big enough adn I need to build up the stock before I attempt jam- if freezing is going to ruin them then I'll have to stick to cakes

Frozen fruit loses some pectin so you may need to add some to achieve a set.
Testing for a set. Put three saucers into the freezer or fridge before starting to cook jam. When you wish to test the jam, put about one teaspoon of jam onto one of the saucers. Put into fridge (and turn off heat under jam). Leave a minute or two then run your little finger over the top. If it wrinkles it is ready (it wrinkles because it has formed a "skin" of set jam). If not, boil for a further five minutes (i.e. get mixture back on to a rolling boil and then cook a further five minutes). Repeat test etc.

Yes Bozza, I realised you were talking about last year's jam. Even so, it was overcooked if it is too hard now. You need to be careful because if you overcook it too much, it will lose its ability to set at all and you will be left with over-runny jam.

Deux, I am not entirely sure about how much lemon juice will be needed to compensate for using frozen fruit. I have a wonderful book by Marguerite Patten which my mother used all through my childhood and which dh bought for me when it was re-published a few years ago. In it, she suggests you either double the amount of lemon juice if lemon juice is already in the recipe or, if there is no lemon juice already in the recipe, add 1 tablespoon of juice to each pound of sugar. HTH

Your query about getting a wrinkle on the jam may be explained above in my comment to Bozza: viz that it is possible to overcook the jam and pass the setting point. You need to test early. Also don't be tempted to make large quantities of jam in one go. Start with just a pound or 2 of fruit. If you try to do a batch of say 4-5 pounds of fruit, it will take longer to set and you may misjudge the time needed.

Recipe for Rhubarb and Ginger Jam.

1 lb rhubarb
1lb sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground ginger

Wash rhubarba nd cut into half inch lengths. Allow to stand with sugar for several hours (to extract juice) then cook gently, stirring well, over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the lemon juice, raise the heat and boil rapidly until setting point is reached. Spoon into hot jars and seal down.

I have about 15 tons of very sweet plums on a tree in our garden - how long would jam making take, would you say? I am loathe to let them rot, but am off on hol on Sunday and very very busy. Should I do it?

Are any old jam jars ok? Do I need those little wax paper circles? Can i just boil it all up, pour into well washed jars and leave for the airport?

I would love to give jam-making a go but don't want to have to spend a fortune in the supermarket! Afaik there are no pick your own fields or farm shops near me

(btw, I'm sorry if someone's already made this comment, I've not read all the posts)

Wait a month or so Rosmerta and head out to somewhere where blackberries grow wild and free!

DG, thanks for info on lemon juice. Re the setting - I manage to get a set but never manage to get there with the wrinkle method, hence the path thingy [hmmm] Given the amount of plums I've got in the freezer, I should have it mastered (I hope).

Blu - I'm in the same situation with the plums and have frozen mine. I removed the stones and tossed them in sugar (read this on the web, no idea what the end result will be). I made some last w/e using only 2lb fruit and it probably took me a one and half hours, including the preping of the fruit.

Rosmerta - you don't need to spend a fortune if you make a small quantitiy - only a lb of strawberries will make you a jar or 2. You can do it super easily and quickly in the microwave. Strawbs on half price in Sainsbury today. I think £1.89 a lb/500g.

Blu, you would be super woman to get all that lot turned into jam, but why not give it a go with about 2-3 lbs of the fruit? You can use any jam jars but make sure they are really really clean. I use the wax circles and cellophane tops but I want my jam to last and these help with keeping the jam sterile. You could just pop a paper circle on top.

Rosmerta, have you tried googling local fruit farms? I had to do that when we moved here 2 years ago as I could find no sign of one locally. Turned out to be one about 15 mins drive from me. Where are you? Some other Mner might know of one near you. It is not worth it if you have to buy your fruit from the supermarket (unless it is apples or oranges for marmarlade) but deux is right: the blackberries near me are just beginning to start going red so it wont be long now before there is free fruit for the picking!

Deux, I know what you mean about setting. I always do the wrinkle test but another method is supposed to be buying a sugar thermometer and waiting until the jam reaches setting point as indicated by the thermometer. Well, my thermometer has never shown the required temperature (I just dont seem able to heat the jam enough) but I always get my jam to set. I think you just have to find the method that works for you.

This might help you find a local PYO

I've just made 5 jars of blackcurrant and am planning some rhubarb and orange jam tomorrow (a wartime recipe of my granny) and have promised ds we'll make some strawberry on Friday. Nothing beats the homemade stuff.

Thanks DG!

I made two jars of strawberry and two jars of raspberry last night. The strawberry was much better - thanks DG - but I think the raspberry might be slightly too set, but not as bad as last year's strawberry. I am hoping to get another fruit picking session in over the weekend but will be a bit weather dependent.

Also what is the difference between jam and jelly? And do you always make jelly with eg redcurrants?

Oh another question re wild blackberries. Are they always fine for making jam? Some around us seem quite seedy and not all that juicy.

Wild blackberries are fine for making jelly but not so good for jam as they are too pippy. Avoid any that are picked close to busy roads or low down in the bush (dogs doing their worst!). To make jelly you have to strain the cooked fruit through muslin and then cook the sugar and juice together.

Adding apple to wild blackberry jam spreads the pips out and is yummy. I'm too lazy to do a proper jelly, but make loads of apple and blackberry jam each year.

This book has a recipe and in fact is brilliant for all jam, especially if you're a complete novice:
link to Marguerite Patton's jam book

I haven't really got as much as 15 tons - but it is a very very heavily fruited plum tree - fab!

Blu - try spiced plum recipe below - delicious, and great for Christmas presents.

Blackberries - for unusual jelly, see Brae jelly recipe below

Posted this in food section. but I will post it here as well. Do I need to keep the stones in when making plum jam?

I don't use extra pectin for strawberry jam. Have had good results using same method as 'apricot preserve' recipe in Delia's summer cooking book. Layer whole strawberries (don't use over-ripe fruit) with sugar in pan overnight. Strawberries keep more intact this way and it sets fine. Not overly sweet either.

Oops - should have added - in pan overnight BEFORE cooking next day in usual way.

Am v. impressed by yr tally DumblesdoreG.

Apologies btw - appear to be inadvertently 'stalking' you on several threads at the moment. Completely unintentional