Today I’m bringing you Blackberry and Raspberry Jam! Having read about the early bramble season I couldn’t wait to go to our local park to see if I could find any blackberries last weekend.
Sure enough there were ripe blackberries but not in huge quantities so there was a lot of pain to gain because of course the big lush blackberries are always the ones that are completely out of reach! After buying my daughter an ice cream and watching her play in the park we came home with our booty (I say we, my daughter really has no interest in blackberries)!
The following day I found myself in another part of town and found a hidden pathway next to some allotments which was virtually overgrown with swathes of blackberries far bigger and juicier than the booty from the previous day. With no bag on me I found an old but fairly clean polystyrene cup on the ground and used that to pick many more blackberries with my 2 children waiting patiently asking when we could go home!
I remember my mum picking blackberries as a kid and I expect I didn’t join in either! On one occasion she fell into the brambles by the side of the road on a sloping embankment (so I blame my genes)!
When I came home I knew I had to make jam (yes this is my guilty pleasure) but wanted to make Blackberry and Raspberry Jam as I had some raspberries in the freezer. Not wanting to drown out the raspberry flavour with the blackberries I knew I need to have an equal quantity of each fruit.
As I only had 310 g of raspberries that is what dictated the quantities of this recipe which will make 2 average sized jars of jam. So please feel free to scale this recipe up if you have more fruit, the timings may be affected though!
So what was the jam like?
Well my son was my first guinea pig and he nodded his head madly before he could speak with a mouth full of scone. Then I garnered my husband’s opinion (who hates fruit with bits in) who said it was really nice and would be even better if I had sieved it!! I was really impressed with the rich colour and the intensely fruity taste which was delicious on a scone!
If you’d like to see more ways of using foraged blackberries after you’ve made my Blackberry and Raspberry Jam then check out these posts:
- Apple & Blackberry Crumble from Greedy Gourmet
- Blackberry Flapjacks from Utterly Scrummy
- Gluten Free Blackberry Blondies from Maison Cupcake
- Blackberry, Golden Raspberry, Banana & Chocolate Fruit Tart from Kavey Eats
- Blackberry & Bourbon Eton Mess from Cook Sister
- Easy Blackberry & Apple Jam from me!
- Blackberry & Apple Loaf from me!
The only thing missing is some clotted cream!
I am entering my jam into a few events:
Mine and Fuss Free Flavours‘ Credit Crunch Munch hosted this month by Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
A Mummy Too’s Recipe of the Week
Supergolden Bakes’ Cook Blog Share
Honest Mum’s Tasty Tuesdays
Ren Behan‘s Simple and in Season hosted this month by Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
Blackberry and Raspberry Jam
Ingredients
- 310 g Blackberries
- 310 g Raspberries I used frozen
- 2 tsp Lemon juice
- 50 ml Water
- 620 g Granulated sugar
Instructions
- Put blackberries, raspberries, water and lemon juice in a preserving pan (or very large pan) and bring slowly to the boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until fruit is soft.
- Add sugar, stirring over a low heat until it has all dissolved.
- Bring pan to a rolling boil and time for 6 minutes.
- Take pan off heat and put a few drops of jam on a chilled plate and plae in fridge for a minute.
- Push your finger through the jam and if it feels jelly like and forms a crinkle then it is ready.
- If not put pan back on heat and boil for another 2 minutes and so on.
- Skim any scum off with a spoon.
- Ladle the jam into sterilised warm jars and put lids on immediately, if using cellophane put waxed discs on and allow to cool before adding cellophane lids.
- Label once cool.
Notes
Sterilise jars by washing in hot soapy water or dishwashing, filling with boiling water, emptying and then placing in oven for 20 minutes at 140°C then leave in oven until jam is ready. Washed lids should be sterilised with boiling water and then left to drain.
Carlene Dardas
You don’t mention using pectin in the recipe…I thought you always have to as a preservative?
Camilla
Hi Carlene, pectin is found in fruit in varying quantities and helps the jam to set. Low pectin fruits either need additional pectin or I prefer to use lemon juice which aids the set. Sugar is the preservative.
Herbert Appleby
I really enjoy jam but find the seeds get wedged into my cavities and require dentist like tools to remove them. Is there a way to puree this type of fruit so the seeds don’t get me every time?
Camilla
Herbert I think you just need to sieve it but you’d need one of those large cone style ones I imagine!
Maya Russell
Love the dark, rich colour of the jam.
Camilla
Thanks Maya:-)
kelli hagenow
How do you store them after canned? How long will they be good canned ?
Camilla
Hi Kelli, I keep all jams in a cool dark place after making and in the fridge once opened. The jam should last a couple of years I believe but it never lasts anywhere near that long in our house and particularly this one as it’s my favourite;-)
bev
Ooooh – going to have to try this!
Camilla
Great, I’ve just used up the last of ours!
Lorna Craig
This is this year’s plan, there are so many brambles about 5 minutes walk from my home! That’s if I get there first! Really looking forward to it, it’s been so long since I had any
Camilla
I get a thrill each year picking brambles:-)