J is for Jam

J is for JAM

I love jam!

On weekends I have jam on my toast, crumpets or muffins for breakfast.

I use to buy jam, but one day late last year I decided to make my own.  I did think jam making was some complicated scientific process.  It isn't, it is so easy to make and I am thrilled that I overcome my fear and can now whip up a batch of jam whenever I want to. Basically it is fruit, sugar and little water or lemon juice and that's about it. 

As for sterilizing the jars, I pop mine in the oven at 100C for the length of time my jam is cooking.  The lids go into a saucepan of boiling water and bubble away for around 15 mins. Its that easy.

If you have never made jam, give it a go.  I bought a couple of books - The Australian Women's Weekly has a great one called "Preserves" but most books are very helpful.   The most important thing about making jam is reading up on the right amount of sugar to fruit and what jam looks like when it starts to "set".  Do your research first.  And DON'T PANIC.

A few weekends a go I made Crab Apple jelly (my first attempt at jellies) and surprised at how well it turned out. This one took me two days:

Day one: Cook 1kg of crab apples (cut in halves-not need to peel) + .5kg of new seasons Granny Smith apples (no need to peel or core) with 1.2 litres of water and the peel of one lemon. (I only added the Granny's as I didn't have enough crab apples - but it does at a nice taste).  Cook until the apples turn to mush - takes approximately 40 mins.

Place apple mush into a Jelly Bag (something like this one) and leave to drain - I left mine overnight.  When finished I was left with 3 cups (600ml) of pink thick liquid.  Don't squeeze the bag otherwise it will make the jelly cloudy. Throw apple mush away.

Day two: Add 600grams of sugar to the crab apple liquid and dissolve over heat.  Once dissolved, boil for 5 minutes or until it passes the setting test. Mine took 10 mins.

Four jars of Crab Apple Jelly

If you have never made jams before, do try as it is fun and the end product tastes great. At least you know what is in your jam, that may not be the case with what you buy.  The one thing I have learnt about jam making - don't panic, if it isn't setting . . . just wait a little longer.  The other useful tip (this one is from my dad) - if you see fruit cheap (eg apricots) buy and throw in the freezer.  This means you can make jam at anytime of the year.

They also make great gifts - two friends visited for afternoon tea on Sunday and they left with a jar of jam each for their husbands!!