Juicy blackcurrants on the bush.
We have an abundance of plump juicy ripe blackcurrants this year, so we have been making jam, coolies and toppings for cheese cake, even tried a syrup to add to milk for milk shakes.
So here is a recipe to take the blackcurrant from the bush to the jar in just under an hour.
1 kg Blackcurrants, rinsed of debris, spiders etc and de-stalked. Don’t worry about the remnants of the flower.
1.25 kg Granulated sugar.
1 pint of water.
Knob of butter.
7 – ½lb jam jars, remember that the H&S police only allow the use of recycled jam jars for personal use.
Jam in the pan with foil wings.
Start by placing the blackcurrants into a large pan, I use a Le Creuset. Use a pan that is larger than you think you will need and this will allow the jam to boil without coming over the top of the pan. If you have a jam pan ideal. Unfortunately, ours is brass and does not work on the induction hot plate that I like to use to cook jam, as this device boils the jam very vigorously. I also cover the sides with foil, to stop spots of jam splattering on the surrounding work surfaces. Don’t worry, the foil is not wasted I can put it on my head later to stop the voices and alien control rays!
To this add the pint of water and simmer on a low heat for about 30 minuets to soften and cook the fruit.
While the fruit is cooking put the jars and lids into the oven at around 60°c to sterilise them and put the sugar in the oven to warm.
When the fruit is cooked add the warm sugar and leave on the same low heat for a further 15 minutes and stir occasionally until all the sugar is dissolved.
Place a couple of small saucers in the fridge for testing the set later and then set the pan of fruit to boil. Once the boil is achieved, maintain a vigour boil for 10 minutes.
Test the set by taking one of your saucers out of the fridge and spooning a teaspoon of the boiling jam onto the plate. Let it cool and then push a finger onto and along the plate and into the jam. If a skin forms and wrinkles the jam has reached setting point, take it off the heat. If not, boil for a further 5 minuets and repeat the test.
Once the jam has reached setting point take it off the heat and stir in the knob of butter. This helps put a gloss on the jam and floats any scum off.
Not very far from currant to jar.
Take the jars from the oven and wait about 5 minutes for the jam to cool from boiling. Portion into the warm jars and seal with the lids.
This recipe will make just shy of 7½lb jars of jam.
