Sunday 20 December 2009

The Kitchen Front - Blackberry & Apple Jam

We are supposed to be going up to Covent Garden today to enjoy the food market there and soak up the Christmassy atmosphere and also smile in smugness at the frantic shoppers who still have yet to finish their Christmas shopping. But as it's taking ages for the boyfriend to get ready I thought I would post the recipe while I wait.

I made this jam a few weeks ago, with a recipe from one of Marguerite Patten's fabulous Books to use up the blackberries I had stored in the freezer, the fact that they were frozen beforehand meant that they needed a little less cooking down than if fresh, as they were quite soft and mushy already.

~ Apple & Blackberry Jam ~

Ingredients:
1lb/450g Blackberries 
1lb/450g Cooking Apples 
2lb/900g Sugar 
2tbsp Water
1. Prepare the jars by washing well in warm soapy water and rinsing thoroughly. Dry the jars in a cool oven (140c/Gas Mark 2). Fill whilst still warm to prevent the jars from cracking when the hot filling is added.

2. Wash the berries in cold water and drain well.

3. Put the apple into the pan and add the water. Simmer the apple for 10 minutes or until the apple has softened.

4. Add the blackberries to the cooked apple and continue to cook until all the fruit has softened.

5. Pour in the sugar and stir over a low heat until it has fully dissolved into the mixture.

6. Bring to the boil and continue to boil for 15 minutes.

7. Remove the pan from the heat. Drop a teaspoonful of jam onto a cold saucer. Allow it to cool  for a few minutes and then gently push your finger through the jam, if it wrinkles then it is ready. If not then return the pan to the heat and boil for a few more minutes return the saucepan to the heat and continue to boil for a few more minutes and then test again. Repeat this process until a set has been reached.

8. Once the setting point has been reached take the pan off of the heat and let the jam cool for about 10 minutes.

9. Pour into sterilised jars add a wax disk and then seal with a lid immediately.

There is nothing nicer than on a cold crisp winter morning, to wake up to a freshly brewed cup of coffee in your favourite mug and a warm slice of toasted bread topped with lashings of homemade Blackberry and Apple Jam

Wendy x

2 comments:

  1. It looks yummy!I like to toast some bread and spread homemade jam for my breakfast:)
    It's funny, yesterday I learnt, you have 2 different words to express the same concept in Spanish ('mermelada') hehe, jam for sweet flavour and marmalade for acid flavour.
    Have you ever made any marmalade too?:)
    Love,
    Lorena

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    1. Home made anything is wonderful! Yes its strange that we have two words for essentially the same thing, not sure why, I have made marmalade when I was a kid and remember it being very sour but still tasty! :) xx

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