Seedless Blackberry & Raspberry Jam - 1st Prize Winner
This 1st prize-winning Seedless Blackberry & Raspberry Jam is smooth, intensely fruity and made with just 4 ingredients and no pectin.
Equipment
- 1 Preserving Pan or large stainless steel pot
- 1 potato masher
- 1 Stainless steel sieve (fine mesh strainer) or rotary food mill
- 1 Large stainless steel spoon
- 1 medium sized glass bowl
- 1 long wooden spoon
- 1 Digital or jam thermometer
- 1 Stainless steel jam funnel (canning funnel
- 3 220 ml (or 8 oz) Glass jam jars with lids
- 2 Small plates
Ingredients
- 300 g blackberries fresh or frozen preferably wild
- 300 g raspberries fresh or frozen
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 500 g granulated sugar
Instructions
- Before you start, see notes 1 and 2 below.
- Place the fresh or frozen blackberries and raspberries, along with 2 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp water, into a preserving pan (or similar).
- Bring to a boil on high heat whilst mashing the berries with a potato masher, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Pour the cooked berries into a sieve (or rotary food mill) over a glass bowl, and use the back of a large spoon to press the juice and pulp through (this will take 15 – 20 mins).
- Scrape the remaining pulp off the bottom of the sieve and add to the bowl.
- Pour the berry pulp/juice mixture back into the pan and add the sugar. (Discard the seeds left in the sieve).
- Stir over a low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. The mixture must not bubble, or this will result in crystallised jam. When you drag a wooden spoon over the base of the pan, there should be no crunching sounds.
- Bring the pan to a full rolling boil over high heat until 104.5°C (220°F) is reached or time for 90 seconds.
- Remove the pan from the heat and test for set by placing a few drops of jam onto a chilled plate. Place the plate in the fridge for 30 seconds.
- Push a finger through the jam, and it will gently crinkle if the setting point has been reached. If it hasn't, then bring to a rolling boil for another 20 seconds and retest. Repeat if necessary.
- Before potting up, eliminate any surface air bubbles (scum) by stirring the jam vigorously.
- Pot up the hot jam into hot jars by pouring straight from the pan using a jam funnel to avoid spillage.
- Place the lids on immediately. Makes just over 2.5 small jars of jam (about 570 ml/20 fluid oz).
- Allow to cool before labelling and then store in a cool, dry, dark place.
Notes
- Place 2 saucers/plates in the freezer for the chilled plate test.
- Sterilise 3 x 220 ml (8 oz) jars and lids (or variation thereof). Start by washing the jars in hot soapy water (or take them straight from the dishwasher). Then fill with boiling water, empty, and place in the oven for 20 minutes at 140°C, 120°C fan, 284°F, gas mark 1. Leave the jars in the oven until the jam is ready to pot up. Washed lids should be sterilised by immersing in boiling water and then left to drain.
- I would usually advise stirring the boiling jam with a wooden spoon, but this jam is ready so quickly it's not necessary. If you’re making a larger batch, which will take longer to boil, then definitely stir regularly to avoid the sugar burning on the base of the pan.