Forest fruit jam

Picking berries and preserving them as jam, or conserves has been happening for many a century.

I’ve been making jams annually for many years now when our fruits are plump and juicy, be that summer time.

Ingredients;

300g mixed berries

300g white sugar

Method;

Go raid your garden, your cousins garden, or a berry farm that lets you raid berries at a smidgen of the price a supermarket will slug you for.

I go to Hillwood berries when I want my berry fix. I got strawberries, Raspberries, as well and red and black currents for this batch.

Clean your berries of stems and other undesirables.

Place berries into a heavy based pot with the sugar and bring to a simmer on medium heat.

Make your stirring the pot too cobba.

Once a slow simmer is achieved, crank the heat up to a boil, and place in your sugar thermometer.

You need your berry syrup to reach 103c for a minimum of 3 minutes in order to activate the pectin.

The pectin is the setting agent that will make your jam a spreadable spectacle, as opposed to a runny sweet sauce.

While you are waiting for the jam to do its thing, wash and sterilize your jar/s in scorching hot water to ensure no bacteria come along for the ride.

Then dry them.

Once you are confident you have simmered your jam for long enough, take the pot off the heat, place a tablespoon of the hot, viscus syrup onto a bowl and place it into your freezer. Let it rest for 5 minutes.

Now, run your finger through the small amount of jam. If it wrinkles when you slowly glide your finger through it, the pectin has done its thing and your jam will set. If it is still runny, continue to boil and repeat the process after around 5 minutes.

Now that your jam is ready to go, carefully place the decadent sweet syrup into your jar, and fill it to the brim. Screw the lids on, then allow to set overnight.

Use your jam on pancakes, stock standard bread, or the primmest of sourdoughs.

Pickle pro-tip: When masking jam, be sure not to spill the hot syrup on yourself. Hot, viscus syrup of any variety has the potential to cause very severe burns.

If your feeling lazy though, get some of this prime jam here.