Processing: Boiling Water Canner 10mins Storage: 12 months +
Yield: 6 cups
Delicious on toast, with yoghurt and granola, use in baking or serve with scones and cream. Use any combination of berries you like with this recipe - I use a mixture of seven berries: blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries, raspberries, redcurrants, sour cherries and strawberries.
Ingredients:
1kg (2.2lbs) mixed berries
½ cup water
2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice
3 tablespoons powdered pectin
4 cups white sugar
Simmer berries in water for 10mins or until soft.
If using frozen berries, thaw in a bowl overnight and use the juice in the jam. Place berries and water into a large deep pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 10-15mins until very soft and ready to puree. Puree berries in a blender, food processor or immersion blender.
Prepare jars.
Cover jars with water and bring to a boil, boiling for 10 minutes while you prepare the jam. Once the time is up, turn the heat off and leave jars in canner until ready to fill with hot jam.
Make jam.
Whisk bottled lemon juice and pectin into berry mixture. Bring to a boil over high heat and then add the sugar all at once. Bring to a rolling boil (cannot stir down) and keep there for 1 minute. Then turn the heat off and bottle.
Prepare lids.
While you are boiling the jam, place the lids into a pan of previously boiling water. Do not simmer or boil, just let the lids heat through in the few minutes while you make the preserve and then fill the jars, removing the lids from the water when you are ready to place them onto the jars to seal.
Ladle hot jam into hot jars.
Immediately spoon hot jam into hot jars, leaving a 1/4 inch (0.5cm) headspace. Remove bubbles, wipe rims and seal.
Boiling water canner processing.
Process in boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (start timer once water returns to a full boil). When time is up, turn heat off and rest jars in water for 5 minutes before placing onto a towel-covered bench overnight to cool.
Next day: check for seals.
Check jars have sealed before labelling and storing in a cool, dry and dark place for up to 12 months.
FLAVOUR IDEAS:
- adults-only: add 3 tablespoons of Chambord;
- use lime juice instead of lemon juice, and add 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.
