I need to make some jam, can I use frozen fruit?

[Letustryagain]

I am making a homemade Xmas hamper for my parents for Xmas and I would really like to make some jam. I was planning to do strawberry but I think I've missed the nice season.

In fact, I think I've missed the seasons for most .

Can anyone advise a good recipe and whether I can make some from frozen fruit? I've bought a maslin pan (as I'm doing chutneys and sweet chilli jam aswell) and I've got my jars. I just need a decent recipe, preferably an easy-ish one.

All advice gratefully received!

Yes you can make jam from frozen fruit. I often pick our blackcurrants and freeze them till I've got time to make jam.

I use the cottage smallholder site a lot for jam and the river cottage recipe books - there's one on preserves.

Yup. I love doing that.
I buy a big bag of mixed berries and some fresh apples and make what I call a hedgerow jam but which now I think about it is complete wrong as I've never seen apples or cherries growing in a hedge
Works a treat

Plums, apples, raspberries, blackberries all freeze well. I freeze them and make the jam later when I have more time.

You might want to invest in a bottle of Certo (liquid pectin) or jam sugar with added pectin to help with the setting of the jam, as the pectin levels start to fall in late-season fruit.

Thank you all (fab name JamNan, maybe you can be my mentor!! ).

So, as you can tell I am alien to this jam-making, I've never made any before.

So if I buy some frozen blackberries and use fresh apples, do I let the blackberries defrost first and get rid of the liquid from them before I start the jam making process, or do I need to do something differently if they've been frozen?

The recipes I've seen require Jam Sugar so I will get some of that.

I've always just put the frozen fruit straight into the jam pan and they defrost as they heat up. So frozen blackberries in with fresh apples. You can buy blackberries, but if you wait a couple of weeks the hedgerows will be full of them...

I usually use wild blackberries and windfall apples from my neighbour's tree. Always sets and tastes pretty good.

Thank you Crosby. I think most of the scavengers around here have got loads of the blackberries, but I may send DH and DD out to do that job for me and go hunting.

Do you use Eating or Cooking Apples for jam? Lots of questions I know...

I'm probably a bit further north than you - our blackberries aren't ready yet...

Apples, I use whatever I've got to hand. Usually get quite a few cookers from a friend's tree so use those - but have used up past their best eating apples too. I'm not sure it makes much difference to the finished product!

I've never added pectin or used jam sugar when using apples - and I've always got a set.

Crosby, yes, I'm as far South as you can get , Devon.

Does it matter if I do use the Jam Sugar though? I don't want to get it wrong...

Lots of people use it, so if you have some use it!

There is some good information on the WI website . You could have a go at piccalilli next

(from the WI website)
Tips
There are a few golden rules when making jams, jellies and marmalades.

Use dry, unblemished and not overripe fruit.

Use the correct sugar for the recipe and note jam sugar is different to preserving sugar. Jam sugar contains pectin -which is used for setting.
Preserving sugar has fine sugar crystals giving a very clear preserve.

All equipment must be scrupulously clean. All your jars and lids must be sterilised, then keep the jars warm until you pour in the jam.

Always seal jam when it is hot. Update - there has been some controversy about the re-use of jam jars if preserves are produced and sold for charitable purposes on an infrequent basis. Jam jars can be re-used for this purpose as long as good hygiene practices have been followed.

Use as little water as possible (except for making marmalade) and cover the fruit with a tightly fitting lid. Skim the scum frequently while the jam is boiling or add a small knob of butter to disperse it.

To test for a good set put a few saucers into the freezer before you start. When the jam is boiling rapidly and you think it is ready to pot take a saucer out of the freezer and drop a small spoonful onto it. Allow to cool for a minute then push your finger through the jam - if it wrinkles it's ready; if not boil for a few more minutes. Continue testing until a set is reached.

Always remove the pan from the heat while you are testing so that it won't be overcooked!

• See more at: www.thewi.org.uk/what-we-do/recipes/jams-and-other-preserves#sthash.mTpepbd7.dpuf

I forgot to add one of these gadgets is really useful when pouring the hot jam into the jars.
jam funnel