Let’s Jam it up…

I love jam, strawberry, raspberry, plum, and damson; on toast, scones with clotted cream, crammed in the middle of a Victoria sponge, in a cocktail - the list is endless but I think you’re getting the vibe on where I’m going with this… I love jam.  Even at the tender age of 25, I think I’ve made enough jam to qualify me a place in the local WI; an organisation I’m happy to see has started to attract women of all ages. Nothing beats a good united bellow out of Jerusalem, a slice of a perfectly made Victoria sponge and a good old calendar photo shoot, all in the name of charity!

One of my fondest memories of childhood was picking strawberries to make this delicious sticky substance - an endless process not helped by us eating the fruit faster than we picked it. Once we’d gathered enough fruit we would start the process of jam making, using a recipe handed down by my grandmother.

Jam making is a straight forward process, though everyone can experience the odd blip in the kitchen - one miscalculation of sugar or pectin and you could potentially end up with something either very runny or rock hard. However, nothing should go to waste, let alone to admit defeat if a recipe doesn’t go quite according to plan, therefore, if you do so happen to end up with something runny, do not fear, I have the perfect solution -  add it to some vodka and ‘bobs you’re uncle’, scummy strawberry liqueur (see recipe below).

My Grandmother’s Strawberry Jam

For the jam:

To make 4 jars

1kg strawberries, large once halved and quartered

500g granulated sugar
450g jam sugar with added pectin
150ml lemon juice

Ø  Put 200g of strawberries and 200g of granulated sugar in a saucepan and ‘pulp it’ with a masher

Ø  Heat this mixture and once heated, add the rest of the strawberries

Ø  Bring the mixture to simmering point, stirring constantly to prevent the bottom of the pan catching

Ø  Simmer for 5 minutes allow the strawberries to soften

Ø  Add the remaining granulated sugar and jam sugar and continue to simmer

Ø  Once the sugar has dissolved, add the lemon juice and increase the heat, bringing the mixture boiling point. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring constantly

To test the jam

Drop a little jam on a cold saucer and leave for a minute before moving with your finger tip, if it crinkles, it’s ready to jar if not, boil for a further 10 minutes

To prepare jam jars

Wash thoroughly and place in the oven on a low heat until you are ready to use them

Jar up

Fill the jars with the jam and place a waxed disc, wax side down onto the jam. Place a piece of cellophane on top and fasten and secure with an elastic band. Use within 12 months

Strawberry liqueur recipe:

Ø  Pour 2 litres of vodka into the sauce of jam mixture (quantities of vodka based on ingredients above) and stir thoroughly.

Ø  Use glass bottles to put the liqueur in and sterilise them using the same method used with the jam jars.

Ø  Once bottled, store for 6 months before use, shaking the bottle occasionally