So popular, my Easy Blackberry & Apple Jam is simple to make, utterly delicious and made with no added pectin. It’s also uses just one pot unlike some recipes. Once you taste this amazing jam you’ll be foraging for blackberries every year just to make it!
I recently went out foraging for apples and blackberries locally and although the apples weren’t up to much the blackberries were fab if a little difficult to pick.
Long sleeves, trousers, socks and a stick are must haves if you don’t want to get scratched and stung and another time I would bring gardening gloves too.It took me over an hour to gather just 600 g as I think I’m not the only forager locally!
This weekend I went to a car boot sale at a local farm where I managed to pick the same amount in about 20 minutes so it really is about being in the right place at the right time.
I could have come home and made a blackberry and apple crumble or some such dessert but I didn’t want to put all my hard work to such a quick and frivolous use.
No, it had to be Blackberry & Apple or Bramble Jam to preserve the fruits of my labours so to speak.
If I’m honest I do think I’ve fallen in love with jam making and if you’ve not tried it yet then I can’t recommend it highly enough.
I haven’t had one disaster with jam making which I can’t say for many other areas of cooking!
I researched various recipes and found that most of them wanted the blackberries and apples cooked separately. After spending so long picking the fruit this seemed like an exercise I didn’t want to go through.
So I was pleased to then find a recipe in “The Classic 1000 Recipes” book (Foulsham) where the fruits were boiled in the same pan.
Hence I adapted this recipe and gave some flesh to the bones of the method to make my Easy Blackberry & Apple Jam!
My family loved this jam and even my pip hating husband did too.
I think it tasted all the better for having foraged the blackberries and we have enough jars to take us into the winter as I made 6 jars of varying sizes.
As usual just before you start jam making just wash your jars and lids in hot soapy water, fill with boiling water, empty and then pop in the oven for 20 mins at 140°C (120°C fan) and leave in there until your jam is ready.
Storage & Shelf Life
This Blackberry & Apple Jam should be kept in a cool, dark, dry place (I keep mine in a cupboard in my garage). It’s best eaten within the first 12 months but will be shelf stable for years.
Once open store in fridge and use a clean spoon to prolong shelf life. Will last for many months.
More blackberry & foraged fruit preserve recipes:
- Easy Seedless Blackberry Jam
- Blackberry & Apple Jelly
- Blackberry & Raspberry Jam
- Easy Blackberry Curd
- Tutti Frutti Jam
- Traditional Blackberry Jam
- Simple Elderberry Jam
I know you’ll love this Easy Blackberry & Apple Jam as much as I do. Don’t forget to tag @FabFood4All when you make it as I love seeing my recipes come to life!
Pin my Easy Blackberry & Apple Jam for later!
Easy Blackberry & Apple Jam
Ingredients
- 600 g Blackberries washed & drained
- 500 g Bramley apples peeled, cored and cut into berry sized chunks
- 1.1 kg Granulated sugar
- 300 ml Water
- 10 g Butter
Instructions
- Put the water and apple chunks in a preserving pan (or similar) and simmer gently until soft (about 5 mins).
- Add the blackberries, bring to the boil and simmer until soft (about 15 – 20 mins).
- Add the sugar off the heat stirring to dissolve the crystals.
- Heat the pan gently to ensure all the sugar dissolves, then boil rapidly for 10 mins stirring regularly.
- Take off the heat and test a large drop of jam on a chilled saucer and if it crinkles after a couple of mins it’s ready.
- If not boil for another 2 mins and repeat test until ready.
- Remove excess scum with a slotted spoon and then stir in the butter to remove the rest.
- Ladle into hot sterilised jars and screw lids on immediately.
- Makes 1.8 kg.
Sue
Did you crush the fruit once it was cooked before adding sugar to go for a set? I have been jam making for years and love it,.
I have been told that quince improves Apple related jams or jellies, I haven’t used it as yet as I don’t want to spoil a batch if the added quince changes the flavour dramatically, have you used it ,how did you find the flavour?
Sue
Camilla
Hi, no I would have added that in the instructions if I had. The fruit should be cooked and soft enough that this isn’t necessary. If you feel it’s necessary then you can. I’m afraid I’ve never come across any quince so have no experience with them sadly.
Emily Rowbotham
I have only made quince jam once, years ago, and it turned out beautifully, like you said it has a lovely fragrance of apple.
Sheila
What is a “preserving pan”? Is that a pressure cooker? Sorry, not from UK. This is not a term I’ve heard in USA. Not saying it isnt used here. Just that I’ve not heard it.
Can’t wait to try this! My husband’s family talk about this jam from when they were kids. So I am looking forward to maybe bringing back something from their childhood.
Camilla
Hi Sheila, I usually say “a preserving pan (or similar)” so have amended the recipe. You don’t need a preserving pan (I don’t have one) you just need a very large pan if you don’t have one. Here’s a link to a preserving pan: https://www.amazon.co.uk/KitchenCraft-Stainless-Steel-Maslin-Preserving/dp/B0000C0TFF and if take a look at my Blueberry & Lime recipe you can see the large pan I use: https://www.fabfood4all.co.uk/blueberry-lime-jam-a-heavenly-pairing/
Sheila W.
Thanks for the quick reply! Good to know I dont have to purchase a pan in order to attempt making jam. If this is something that I want do continue doing, I may then check into a new pan. Tomorrow is jam making day! So excited!!
Camilla
No problem. Enjoy your jam making, I’m sure it will be the start of a long and happy jam making journey:-)
Sheila
Made it! LOVE IT! First batch is almost all gone. I NEVER DID FIGURE OUT THE “CRINKLE” TEST. AFTER ABOUT 15-20 TIMES RETESTING, FINALLY JUST DECIDED IT WAS DONE. THE SCRIM HAD COOKED OFF! SO DIDNT HAVE TO MESS WITH THAT PART..
EVERYONE LOVES IT THO. . WHAT EXACTLY AM I LOOKING FOR DURING THE DONENESS TEST? NEVER SAW ANY NOTICIBLE CHANGE. KEPT PLATE IN FREEZER BETWEEN TESTS. MAYBY MY “DROP’ of jam was too small??? About to make some more. So please help..
Not sure why there is all caps for some of this??
Camilla
Hi Sheila, the crinkle test is something that you get a feel for the more you make jam. When jam isn’t ready your finger will go through it as if through a puddle of water, it should be “gel” like when you push your finger through it. Eventually you’ll be able to gauge how firm you want your jam to be. I like a soft set jam so aim for a subtle “crinkle” you don’t want the blob of jam to be completely stiff (then you’ve gone too far). You can also do the drip test whereby you hold the wooden spoon on its side and if 2 drips combine and hang there as one then that’s a good indicator too. I have quite a few videos in my jam posts that show this step.
Sheila Whitcher
Thanks for the info! Exactly what I needed. Makes total sense now!
I am having so much fun with this! Have never made jam before, but my brother-in-law was talking about the BlackBerry Apple Jam his Grandmother made when he was a kid. He’s constantly looking for it, and never finding it. So thought maybe I can make him some, and found you!!!
My experiment now is finding apples similar to your Bramley’s. Dont have those in South Texas.. My latest experiment was using Granny Smith apples and substituting 80 ml of water for frozen apple juice concentrate. Gave it a decent apple flavor boost. Just bought some Fuji apples and thinking to mix some of these with the Granny Smith. However, what would your recommendation be?
Camilla
Hi Sheila, so glad you like the recipe and that it brings back memories for your brother in law. I think just Granny Smiths would be good as they are quite tart compared to most apples and cooking apples are really tart. From memory Fuji are quite delicate in flavour.
Wendy Wyatt
I just made 9 jars did the plate test a few times before it set so anyone giving up should wait a little longer and ot will be fine. Its beautiful jam.
Camilla
Excellent Wendy. Did you use a larger quantity of fruit than in the recipe?
Anisa
Hi, I wanted to make his today with the blackberries and apples picked from the garden, but I was wondering how many jars this makes ( what size jars too)?
Thanks, Anisa
Camilla
Hi Anisa, the recipe states 6 jars and divided by the 1.8kg (1800 mls) of jam they would be 300 ml jars (but I always allow an extra jar or 2 just to be sure:-) I will edit to make clearer, thank you for raising the question!
Anisa
Thanks
Camilla
Pleasure:-)
Kay
I’m looking at giving this Jam as gifts for Christmas – when would you suggest making it?
We also have a lot of apples from our tree at the moment – do you think I can freeze them and then defrost along with the blackberries nearer to Christmas to make the Jam?
Camilla
Hi Kay, make the jam now, will be perfectly good for giving as gifts for Christmas and taste much better for being made with fresh fruit rather than frozen. This jam is shelf stable as are all my jams so will last years in a cool dark place but for best flavour I usually say to eat within the first 12 months but not imperative.
Nina
This is a great recipe, thanks for sharing Camilla. I’ve just quadrupled the recipe and made 20 jars of jam ready to give to friends and fam for Christmas. The jam is setting nicely as it cools and tastes delicious,
Camilla
Excellent Nina, so glad you like it and that making that amount worked:-)
Caroline Whiston
Made jam today turned out perfect thank you when can I start using it x
Camilla
Hi Caroline, so pleased you like it, you can use it as soon as it has cooled down:-)
Paul
just made this from the fruit in my garden and it came out perfect. Thank you
Camilla
Excellent Paul, thank you for letting me know:-)
Laura Fletcher
My batch was WAY too sweet. Added all the lemon juice I happened to have in the house but still too sweet. I’d recommend adding sugar to taste rather than the recipe amount all at once.
Camilla
We all have different abilities to taste which I found out when I became a “taste tester” at Birds Eye Wall’s (not my job but just an add on) so by all means sweeten to your liking. I like it the way it is and have not had any negative feedback from family who would let me know if they found fault.
LYnn
My jam hasn’t set, followed recipe religiously.
Camilla
Hi Lynn, did you repeat the plate test until you got a crinkle?