I made some jam today (and other preserves)

[Sixofone]

I am really pleased with myself. I made some blackberry and apple jam today. I feel really grown up. I'm on a roll now and am off to make Nigella's pineapple chutney...

Feel free to share your jam and preserve recipes, would love some inspiration!

Hi Sixaphone, would love your jam recipe to help with my oversupply of apples!!

It's fab isn't it? I made my first jam at the weekend, Bramble jelly, am very proud. I've been well and truely bitten by the preserving bug and am off to pick crab apples tomorrow for crab apple jelly. I'm keen for some other recipies though.

With pleasure, Lizzy! I used 500g blackberries, 500g apples, 1kg jam sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks (fish out before you jar it). then I cooked it until it wrinkled on a cold plate, which was about 10 minutes at a rolling boil.

It made about 1.25kg of jam and tastes gorgeous!

I love crabapple jelly, don't they have lots of natural pectin in so it's quite easy to get a good set?

Sod the recipes, please just share the jam with me

That sounds great, I have loads of apples and jam sugar so only need blackberries! That's tomorrow sorted then....

Well, I am now the proud owner of 3lbs bramble jelly, 2lbs crab apple jelly, 3lbs apple butter with whisky and am boiling up the last of the crab apples for crab apple and cinnamon jelly. Phew, think I need a drink ....

Mmmm fancy sharing the recipe for apple butter, Prof Y?

Could I just ask you preserve experts ...
am also trying to use up apples. Apple Chutney's done, got an apple jelly recipe off DasiyMoo on another thread, which I will make tomorrow. Have got muslin to strain - but could someone describe the most practical way of draining the juice - I don't have a stand or anything, just muslin.

Put kitchen chair upside down on table/counter - seat on table/counter. Bowl in middle of underside of seat. Tie muslin to chair legs. Hope that makes sense!

Oooh, that reminds me.I have to order more jam jars...

Kaloo and I made blackcurrant jam a few weeks backand I still have half the currants in my freezer ready for apple & blackcurrant but we have no jars!

Also plan rhubarb and ginger jam if Kaloo gets her finger out and harvests the rhubarb

perfect sense lilymaid, and annoyed I couldn't have worked that out for myself! Many thanks.

I have gone nuts for apple butter (basically a very thick, smooth jam) it's lovely with strong cheddar, apparently good with meat (I'm veggie so can't comment). We had it with fresh hazlenuts picked from the woods and cream, heavenly.

Recipe from Marguerite Patten:

Peel and core the apples, chop into very small pieces. You need 2lbs, prepared weight. Simmer in half a pint of water until soft then mash/sieve/blend til very smooth. Measure the puree and for every pint add 1lb sugar, 2tbsp lemon juice, 1 - 2 tsp ground ginger and 1 - 2 tbsp whisky. Return to the pan, heat gently til sugar melts then boil steadily til mixture is very thick. Jar as usual. If you cook it further it becomes cheese which is solid and served in slices but you need a container which allows you to turn the finished cheese out (iyswim)

That sounds really different, my mum has a Bramley tree in her garden and has boxed up 23lbs of apples this year!!! So we'll have a go at the weekend, thanks!

Just made apple jelly and apple curd today, first time for both. Am I allowed to feel very pleased with myself?? Anyone know what you can do with pears (preserves-wise)? Gave our neighbour a jar of apple chutney (made at the weekend) and he promised me a load of pears. Groan. Have just about got rid of the apples!

LOL, someone was advertising windfall pears on freecycle today, my preserving pan started knocking on the cupboard door! I'd love to have a go with pears but I haven't got any jars left (am tempted to buy some from Lakeland though)

Good old Marguerite comes up with the goods again with pears. She has recipies for pear conserve which sounds nice, the pears are poached in wine and lemon syrup then preserved. She's also got jam, butter, marmalade and chutney made with pears. If any of those sound interesting I'll post them for you.

yes please, when you have time (I've no jars left either so won't be making anything til I can scrounge/buy some!)

Pear butter is easy, it's exactly the same as apple butter below but obviously it's up to you whether you put the ginger and whiskey in or not. She suggests ginger or cinnamon.

Pear conserve. Put 2 tbsp lemon juice, 3tbsp white wine and 1lb sugar in a preserving pan. Stir over a low heat til the sugar dissolves. Add 1lb (prepared weight) of peeled, cored pears chopped into 'neat dice'. She suggests using comice or conference pears which are not quite ripe so they hold their shape when cooked. Cook steadily til setting point in reached. Cool and stir to distribute the fruit then spoon into hot jars and seal.

Will try and post a few more later on tonight.

Oh and I'm collecting my pears next week, via Lakeland for the jars!

Pear and lemon Marmalade. 1lb lemons, 3lb pears 2.5 pints water, 3lbs sugar. Zest and juice the lemons. Keep the pulp, pips and pith. Peel and core the pears. Put the peel and cores with the lemon pulp, pips and pith and tie inside a muslin. Chop the pears into small dice, add half the lemon juice and cover the container. Put the muslin bag into the water and simmer for 20 mins. Add the dicced pears and simmer til soft. Remove the bag, add the sugar and remainder of the lemon juice. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved then boil rapidly til setting point is reached. Cool slightly then stir to distribute the pear, spoon into hot jars and seal.

Pear Jam. She says conserve is better and pears are quite bland and need some spices with them. 1lb peeled and cored pears. 2 tbsp white or rose wine or orange juice, 1/4 tspn ground cloves or cinnamon. 1lb sugar, 2 tbsp lemon juice. Chop the pears into 1.5cm dice, put into the preserving pan with liquid and spice, simmer until tender. Add the sugar and lemon juice, stir over a low heat til the sugar dissolves then boil rapidly until setting point is reached. Cool for a short time, stir to distribute the fruit then jar and seal.

All sound fab! Need the jars, then neighbours to come back from trip and give me the pears. Thanks ProfYaffle (would love to know the story behind your nickname!)

Nothing exciting I'm afraid. I liked Bagpuss as a child so bought a video for dd1. While i was choosing my nickname she was doing an excellent imitation of Professor Yaffle which amused me.