Gooseberry Thyme Jam

Gooseberry Thyme Jam is wonderfully tart with earthy floral notes from the thyme. Of course it’s delicious on toast, crumpets and scones but don’t dismiss its excellence nestling happily on a cheese board.

Gooseberry Thyme Jam

Gooseberry Thyme Jam will be one of the easiest jams you have ever made. It only requires three ingredients and is an hour of pleasurable work from start to finish.

Why should you make this recipe?

  • This jam is not overly sweet as gooseberries are quite tart.
  • Gooseberries are high in pectin so you can use regular sugar rather than a specialist jam sugar.
  • Only 3 ingredients!
  • By pre-cooking and sieving the gooseberries prior to adding the sugar you get a smooth seedless gooseberry jam.
  • Gooseberries are in season for such a short amount of time that by making them into jam you can enjoy their lovely taste all year round.

Gooseberry Thyme Jam

How do you make it?

  1. Cook the gooseberries with 200ml water in a large preserving pan until they start to go a bit pulpy.
  2. Sieve the gooseberry pulp and discard the skin and stem bits.
  3. Clean out the preserving pan and place the gooseberry pulp back in with the granulated sugar and the thyme leaves.
  4. Bring to a rolling boil, making sure to stir the bottom of the pan frequently so the fruit doesn’t stick. It should take 5-10 minutes from then to reach setting point.
  5. Decant into sterilised jars.

Suggested Equipment

  • You can use a regular sieve to remove the skin and stem but my favourite equipment when preserve making is a food mill which makes short work of this task. It’s also invaluable when making Apple Butter.
  • A sugar thermometer will help you check the jam for its setting point.
  • Jar tongs are brilliant for handling hot sterilised jars.
  • A jam funnel has a wide mouth and is invaluable when decanting the jam into the jars. It makes for nice ‘mess-free’ work.

Gooseberry Thyme Jam

Can you reduce the sugar?

This is the question I get asked the most when posting jam recipes. And the answer is always… not really.

The sugar allows the pectin in the fruit to activate and is what creates the set. If you reduce the sugar then your jam would be too runny.

How do you know when your jam has set?

There are 2 methods:

  1. Temperature – Once the jam reaches 104°C then it should have reached the correct set.
  2. Saucer Wrinkle Test – The saucer wrinkle test requires you to put several saucers in your freezer when you begin making your jam. Once you think the jam might be ready then you can double check by removing a saucer from the freezer, dropping a teaspoon of jam on it then placing the saucer in the fridge. After about 30 seconds remove the saucer and push the jam with your finger. If it wrinkles up it’s ready, if it just pools back into the space your finger has left then it needs more bubbling time. Boil it a bit longer, then test again with another saucer.

How do you sterilise the jars?

Place the very clean jars you would like to use in an oven pre-heated to 140°C for 20 minutes. Sterilise the lids by dropping them into a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes. It is best not to sterilise lids in the oven as they can easily ruin.

Sterilising and Jar Tips

  • When you are sterilising the lids in the boiling water add a splash of vinegar which will avoid the lids getting a cloudy appearance.
  • You can re-use the glass jar, but you shouldn’t really re-use the lids as they will corrode over time.
  • I always use the same kind of jars and buy a huge batch of lids in bulk.

Do you need to process this jam in a water bath?

No, as long as the jars have a good tight seal on them. However if you want to process your jam in a water bath then have a look at this post for the all the basics.

Gooseberry Thyme Jam

How long does it keep for?

As long as the jars were completely sterilised before you filled them with the jam then it should keep for at least a year. You must store it in a cool dark place. Although once opened you should refrigerate it and use within about 1 month.

How can you eat Gooseberry Thyme jam?

  • Toast and crumpets
  • Dolloped atop delicious scones
  • Squidged in the filling of a Victoria Sponge
  • Pro tip – Although my absolute favourite way to eat this jam is as an accompaniment to salty cheese. Yup, just serve it on your cheeseboard you won’t be sorry.

Gooseberry Thyme Jam

Do you need more summer jam recipes?

Strawberry Redcurrant Jam
Raspberry Coconut Jam
Seedless Wild Blackberry Lime Jam
Damson Orange Cinnamon Jam

If you make this Gooseberry Thyme Jam then please leave a comment below and give the recipe a rating. If you then go on to use this recipe as a launch pad for your own baking creation then I’d also love it if you’d share it and tag me on Instagram. It is so lovely for me to see your versions and variations of my recipes.

Overhead image of Gooseberry Thyme Jam on a wooden board with gooseberries and a sprig of thyme
Print Recipe

Gooseberry Thyme Jam

Gooseberry Thyme Jam is wonderfully tart with earthy floral notes from the thyme
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: British
Servings: 40 servings
Calories: 72kcal
Author: Georgina Hartley

Ingredients

  • 800 g gooseberries
  • 650 g granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

  • Pour the gooseberries into a large preserving pan with 200ml water. Turn onto a gentle heat and cook the gooseberries until they start to go a bit pulpy.
  • Sieve the gooseberry pulp and discard the skin and stem bits.
  • Clean out the preserving pan and place the gooseberry pulp back in with the granulated sugar and the thyme leaves.
  • Bring to a rolling boil, making sure to stir the bottom of the pan frequently so the fruit doesn’t stick. It should take 5-10 minutes from then to reach setting point.
  • Once the jam reaches 104°C or passes the saucer wrinkle test* then decant into sterilised jars*.

Notes

*The saucer wrinkle test basically requires you to put about 5 saucers in your freezer when you begin making your jam. Once you think the jam might be ready then you can double check by removing a saucer from the freezer, dropping a teaspoon of jam on it then placing the saucer in the fridge. After about 30 seconds remove the saucer and push the jam with your finger. If it wrinkles up it’s ready, if it just pools back into the space your finger has left then it needs more bubbling time. Boil it a bit longer, then test again with another saucer.
*To sterilise the jars place the very clean jars you would like to use in an oven pre-heated to 140°C for 20 minutes. Sterilise the lids by dropping them into a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes with a splash of vinegar. I don’t sterilise my lids in the oven as they tend to ruin.
Yield 5 200g jars

Nutrition

Calories: 72kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 5.7mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.1mg

This recipe was updated in July 2020 to give more notes and tips on how to make the recipe.

Filed Under: The Larder Tagged With: , ,

Pumpkin Jam

Pumpkin Jam makes the most out of squash season, lusciously smooth, rich with savoury pumpkin notes and scented lightly with vanilla and nutmeg for a comforting Autumn preserve.

overhead shot of pumpkin jam with a spoon in it surrounded by pumpkins

This year, due to being on maternity leave, I have completely taken a break from producing any preserves for the market stall. I return to the market stall next weekend and know I am going to seriously regret this decision as my stall won’t look as plump or lively without the mountains of jars interspersed between all the cake. Plus I really love selling the preserves.

overhead shot of pumpkins

The best part about making the jams, chutneys, ketchups and sauces for the stall is coming up with really fun and unexpected flavours which are always so delicious and fun to talk about with my customers. Plus it’s the one area of my business that Luke gets really involved in so it is something we can do together. He is just as passionate as me about the ingredients and loves to help me source them. As a family we adore foraging and a lot of my jams are either made from produce foraged locally in North London or from local producers, usually from our friends at the market. Luke gave me the inspiration to develop this recipe for Pumpkin Jam last year when my jam stock was dwindling. I make my jams in very small batches so once it’s gone, it’s gone until the next year and with new seasons comes new flavours.

The farmers market at this time of year always has an abundance of pumpkin and mixed squash and as soon as he had given me the idea to look outside the confines of fruit I couldn’t wait to try out Autumn’s bounty. Obviously the Pumpkin Jam was hugely successful or I wouldn’t be sharing the recipe with you today. It’s one of the few preserves that I have made for personal use this year as I just couldn’t let squash season pass us by without a few jars of Pumpkin Jam to keep us going.

side on shot of pumpkin jam with a spoon in it surrounded by pumpkins

Like all jam, its uses shouldn’t just stop at toast and crumpets. I use jam mostly for filling a Victoria Sponge or as an accompaniment to cheese. Believe me, this pumpkin jam goes particularly well with a mature cheddar. Try jam smeared onto your pork chops or chicken breasts before grilling or as a sweetener in sauces.

Although I have to confess that I didn’t just stop at pumpkin in this jam. Instead I used a variety of mixed squash which imbues the jam with many levels of flavour. I decided against adding cinnamon to this Pumpkin Jam. Sacrilege I know. I literally had to hold my hand back from automatically picking up the cinnamon jar. But I’m glad I did as the cinnamon would have interfered too much with the deep notes of the pumpkin. To compliment the squash I added just a hint of vanilla and nutmeg which turned out to be exactly the right thing to do.

overhead shot of pumpkin jam with a spoon in it surrounded by pumpkins

Time will tell whether I’ll be able to bring the preserves back next year but in the meantime I probably won’t be able to resist making my gorgeous mincemeats and cranberry sauce for Christmas. However, until I decide exactly what I’m going to do about the preserves on the stall moving forward, at least I’ll have my own personal Pumpkin Jam for company.

overhead shot of pumpkin jam with a spoon in it surrounded by pumpkins
Print Recipe

Pumpkin Jam

Pumpkin Jam is lusciously smooth, rich with savoury pumpkin notes and scented lightly with vanilla and nutmeg for a comforting Autumn preserve.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: British
Servings: 48 servings
Calories: 34kcal
Author: Georgina Hartley

Ingredients

  • 1 kg fresh pumpkin puree*
  • 1 kg jam sugar
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 vanilla bean seeds scraped out
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

  • Pour the pumpkin puree into a large preserving pan. Turn onto a gentle heat and begin to warm the puree, stirring to avoid burning on the bottom of the pan.
  • Once the puree has heated up then pour in the jam sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, salt, vanilla bean seeds and nutmeg.
  • Stir everything together and turn up the heat to dissolve the sugar.
  • Bring to a rolling boil, making sure to stir the bottom of the pan frequently so the jam doesn’t stick. It should take 5-10 minutes from then to reach setting point.
  • Once the jam reaches 104°C or passes the saucer wrinkle test* then decant into sterilised jars*.

Notes

*You can use just pumpkin puree or a variety of mixed squash to reach 1kg
*The saucer wrinkle test basically requires you to put about 5 saucers in your freezer when you begin making your jam. Once you think the jam might be ready then you can double check by removing a saucer from the freezer, dropping a teaspoon of jam on it then placing the saucer in the fridge. After about 30 seconds remove the saucer and push the jam with your finger. If it wrinkles up it’s ready, if it just pools back into the space your finger has left then it needs more bubbling time. Boil it a bit longer, then test again with another saucer.
*To sterilise the jars place the very clean jars you would like to use in an oven pre-heated to 140°C for 20 minutes. Sterilise the lids by dropping them into a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes with a splash of vinegar. I don’t sterilise my lids in the oven as they tend to ruin.
Yield 8 180ml jars

Nutrition

Calories: 34kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 3240IU | Vitamin C: 0.9mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.4mg

SHOP THE RECIPE

You don’t need much equipment for jam making but there are a few bits and pieces I rely upon.

My favourite way to make my small batch jams is in my Le Creuset Signature Cast Iron Round Casserole, 28 cm – Marseille Blue. It’s very heavy duty but I use it for absolutely everything from pot roasts, stews and stocks to making jams and chutneys. It’s large enough that it is great for so many purposes from sweet to savoury. I have the signature marseille blue colour as when I bought it I wanted it to match the old Le Creuset saucepans handed down to me from my dad but you can get them in other beautiful colours. Different colours are different prices so you can definitely get a good deal if you choose a less popular colour.

A jam funnel is essential and I use this cheap and cheerful KitchenCraft Home Made Stainless Steel Jam Funnel

You will soon wonder how you got by without using jam jar tongs which means you can pick up piping hot jars confidently. I love these Kilner Jam Jar Sterilising Tongs, Steel, Silver/Red, 6 x 10 x 24 cm

This post is not sponsored but the links above are affiliate links which means if you decide you want to click through to buy then Amazon gives me a small commission at no cost to you whatsoever. To learn more about how the data processing works when using these Amazon affiliate links then please visit my privacy policy page.

If you like this recipe then you may like…

Seedless Wild Blackberry Lime Jam

A jar of Wild Blackberry Lime Jam with a spoon in it and the ingredients surrounding

Baked Apple Butter

Baked Apple Butter is the perfect hybrid between a jam and a chutney. The apples are stewed in cider, brandy, honey and spices then smoothed and baked slowly in a low oven for the most intensely thick and rich apple sauce that is the ultimate Autumn preserve.

Pear and Cobnut Jam

Pear and Cobnut Jam

Filed Under: The Larder Tagged With: , ,

Apple Scones {gluten-free}

These gluten-free Apple Scones are slightly spiced and sweetened with a drizzle of honey. They are delicate fluffy little scones and the perfect match for lashings of this season’s homemade jam.

apple scones piled on a china plate in front of a tea set and a pot of jam

These Apple Scones taste incredibly homely. Imagine waking up to the scent of these scones baking in your kitchen? A fine start to the day indeed.

They are the essence of British baking and are incredibly versatile. Since they are not overly sweetened you can eat them as a sweet treat with clotted cream or jam or even just a dab of butter or bacon.

overhead image of apple scones on a china plate next to a tea set and a pot of jam

Why these Apple Scones are brilliant:

  • Spiked with warming cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg
  • Studded with freshly diced juicy apple
  • Softly sweetened with honey
  • Baked with wholegrain gluten-free flours

How to make gluten-free scones

Gluten-free scones work best when you choose the right alternative flours to pair with your flavourings. There are no weird or wacky gums, just honest whole ingredients.

The starches

The wholegrains

  • Oat flour – a light fluffy flour with lovely toasty flavour. Make sure it’s a gluten-free oat flour.
  • Sorghum flour – a deep earthy taste.

Baker’s Tip – If you are intolerant to oat flour then you can use just the sorghum. It can be slightly grainy depending on the brand and will have deeper flavour but still delicious.

If you need more recipes for gluten-free scones they why not try:

close up image of apple scone halved

How to make Apple Scones

  1. Sift the flours with the spices, baking powder and salt.
  2. Rub the butter in with your fingertips to form shaggy breadcrumbs.
  3. In a jug whisk the eggs into the milk with the honey and pour into the flour mixture.
  4. Bring together with your hands to form a dough. Sprinkle in the diced apple.
  5. Press the dough into an even 1 inch round.
  6. Cut out the scones and place on a baking tray.

7.Brush with egg wash and bake for 10 minutes.

What to serve with Apple Scones?

These scones are only slightly sweetened with honey so they pair excellently with a homemade jam.

Why not try?

Damson Orange Cinnamon Jam
Blackberry Lime Jam
Pear Cobnut Jam
Strawberry Redcurrant Jam

And hey, can I just put Bacon Jam out there on your list.

However, they are equally delicious with a slather of salted butter or perhaps some smoked streaky bacon.

apple scone halved with jam spread on top

Can you freeze Apple Scones?

Yes. As soon as the scones have cooled then pop into a freezer bag. They will keep for about 6 weeks in the freezer. To defrost, remove from the freezer the day before you want to eat it. You can warm for 10 minutes in the oven just before serving.

How long do Apple Scones keep for?

It’s best to eat these Apple Scones on the same day they are baked as they grow quickly stale.

If you make these Apple Scones then please leave a comment below and/or give the recipe a rating. If you then go on to use this recipe as a launch pad for your own baking creation then I’d also love it if you’d share it and tag me on Instagram. It is so lovely for me to see your versions and variations of my recipes.

apple scones piled on a china plate in front of a tea set and a pot of jam
Print Recipe

Honey Apple Spice Scones {gluten-free}

These gluten-free Honey Apple Spice Scones are not very sweet, making them the perfect match for lashings of homemade jam.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Afternoon Tea
Cuisine: British
Servings: 12 scones
Calories: 149kcal
Author: Georgina Hartley

Ingredients

  • 100 g sweet rice flour
  • 70 g oat flour
  • 55 g sorghum flour
  • 25 g tapioca flour
  • 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 50 g cold unsalted butter sliced thinly
  • 4 tablespoons honey
  • 1 egg +1 for the egg wash
  • 100 ml whole milk
  • 1 dessert apple peeled, cored and cubed

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 180°C.
  • Sift the flours with the spices, baking powder and salt, then drop in the butter, rubbing together to form a breadcrumb texture.
  • In a jug whisk the eggs into the milk with the honey and pour into the flour mixture.
  • Stir together with a wooden spoon to bring together then turn out onto a clean work surface dusted with oat flour and using your hands gently turn the mixture round and round. As it is coming together sprinkle in the apple pieces bit by bit so they are evenly distributed. Carry on turning the dough a little longer until it forms a smooth dough which is no longer sticky.
  • Press the dough out into an even round 1 inch thick and cut out the scones using 5cm round cutter.
  • Place the scones on a large baking tray and brush the top of each scone lightly with whisked egg.
  • Bake for 10 minutes or until the top of the scones are beautifully golden.

Notes

If you can't tolerate oat flour then remove and increase the quantity of sorghum flour to compensate.
These scones are only slightly sweetened with a drizzle of honey. It means they work beautifully with either sweet or savoury toppings.
How to serve apple scones
  • jam
  • butter
  • bacon
  • cheese
Best eaten the day the scones are baked.
You can freeze the scones for up to 6 weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 60mg | Potassium: 179mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 145IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in September 2017, but was updated in August 2019 with clearer content, nutritional information and expert tips.

Filed Under: Pastries Tagged With: , , ,

Damson Orange Cinnamon Jam

Damson Orange Cinnamon Jam is the perfect bridge between summer and autumn. The last of summer’s stone fruits are infused with the warming spices of cooler days.

Damson Orange Cinnamon Jam

Plums and damsons signal the last of the summer fruits as autumn looms on the horizon and I am winding down with all my local foraging. This is when my kitchen is at its busiest. Fruits and vegetables that haven’t yet made it into cakes, crumbles or suppers are now being canned, jammed and chutnied.

I have written about our family’s love of foraging several times before in this space and we were very excited that this year Cole was able to properly join in. The blackberry picking was a little precarious for him due to the prickles on the brambles and the stinging nettles which swarm around the hedgerows to protect the berries. Apples also were somewhat fraught as both toddler and dog kept attempting to run under the treacherous apples which showered down every time Luke shook the tree to dislodge the ripe fruit at the top.

Damson Orange Cinnamon Jam

Damsons on the other hand were a little more manageable. Cole loved picking the fallen fruit and helping Mummy put them into the hefty foraging bag. I was surprised how helpful he was. Yes, so I then had to be extra careful picking through the damsons when we got back home as he wasn’t so discerning as mummy and daddy over which fruit should make the grade. But it was almost like having an extra pair of hands. Surely it’s only a matter of time before he can take the rubbish out, unload the dishwasher and do a spot of hoovering.

Damson Orange Cinnamon Jam

As a result Damson Orange Cinnamon Jam is making its debut this weekend on the market stall. I’m joining the new Stroud Green Market which is launching this Sunday and I’m really excited. Our area hasn’t had a farmers’ market before, usually we have to drive a little distance to Alexandra Palace so I’m hoping everyone in the area, like me, will be welcoming the market with open arms. I thought there was no better way to show support for this new venture than having a stall there myself. I’ll be selling my gluten-free cakes and also launching my autumn collection of preserves.

Damson Orange Cinnamon Jam

This will be the first weekend I’ve had the preserves on the stall this year so I can definitely feel the change in the season. I always mean to produce my jams, chutneys, relishes, pickles, ketchups and jellies all year round but I never quite manage to pull my act together. I even thought about discontinuing the preserves which I wrote about in an earlier post but my joy in foraging and canning got the better of me again this summer and suddenly I found I had hundreds of jars which needed shifting.

I haven’t sold my Damson Orange Cinnamon Jam since my first preserves stall three years ago. Two years ago I had just had Cole so my foraging was scant and then last year our local damson trees didn’t seem to fruit all that well. This season though the fruit was juicy and plentiful. I swear each tree bears enough fruit for every household in Stroud Green to collect a few kilos.

Damsons

Damsons are smaller cousins to the plum and there are more trees around to forage from than you would think. Just look for the squashed purple fruit underfoot around late August September and you’ll probably find you’re standing beneath a damson tree. They are easy to collect, when the fruit is ripe just a shake of a branch releases a plethora of damson raindrops which can be collected by an artfully placed upturned umbrella already positioned underneath the chosen branch. I wouldn’t recommend eating damsons straight off the tree though as they are rather sour. Like many foraged fruits once sugar is added they come to life. They are fiddly to prepare as they have stones which are too tricky to part from the flesh in their raw state so I suggest cooking the damsons down first and then sifting through the pulp to collect the stones.

Damson Orange Cinnamon Jam

Damson Orange Cinnamon Jam is one of my favourite ways to preserve them. The orange and cinnamon notes are delightful this time of year as the evenings draw in and the scent of warming spices lure you in from the chilling weather. I’m looking forward to having the jars for sale at the market stall this weekend and if you’re in the area I hope you can pop by.

Damson Orange Cinnamon Jam
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Damson Orange Cinnamon Jam

Damson Orange Cinnamon Jam is the perfect bridge between summer and autumn. The last of summer’s stone fruits are infused with the warming spices of cooler days.
Prep Time45 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 45 mins
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: British
Servings: 144 servings
Calories: 15kcal
Author: Georgina Hartley

Ingredients

  • 2 kg damsons
  • 300 g soft light brown sugar
  • 2 oranges
  • 600 ml water
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1½ teaspoons ground allspice
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1,100 g granulated sugar
  • Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

  • Wash the damsons and place them into a large baking dish along with the brown sugar. Place them in an oven pre-heated to 180°C and roast for 40 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.
  • Pass the damsons through a sieve into a large preserving pan. Pick through the pulp to remove all the stones, placing the stones in a large jug. Add the remaining stoneless pulp into the preserving pan.
  • Fill the jug filled with stones with the 600ml water. Swirl around so all possible damson juice is loosened from the stones.
  • Pour the water through a sieve into the preserving pan. Finally, discard the stones.
  • Zest the oranges, setting aside the zest until the very end. Then juice the oranges. Add the orange juice to the preserving pan, along with all the spices.
  • Bring to a boil and add the granulated sugar, stirring to dissolve.
  • Once the sugar has dissolved add the lemon juice. Bring to a rolling boil.
  • Boil the jam for about 10 minutes until the temperature reaches 104°C or passes the saucer wrinkle test*.
  • Remove from the heat, stir in the orange zest and decant into sterilised jars*.

Notes

*The saucer wrinkle test basically requires you to put about 5 saucers in your freezer when you begin making your jam. Once you think the jam might be ready then you can double check by removing a saucer from the freezer, dropping a teaspoon of jam on it then placing the saucer in the fridge. After about 30 seconds remove the saucer and push the jam with your finger. If it wrinkles up it’s ready, if it just pools back into the space your finger has left then it needs more bubbling time. Boil it another couple of minutes then turn off the heat and then test again with another saucer.
*To sterilise the jars place the very clean jars you would like to use in an oven pre-heated to 140°C for 20 minutes. Sterilise the lids by dropping them into a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes with a splash of vinegar. I don’t sterilise my lids in the oven as they tend to ruin.
Yield 12 200g jars

Nutrition

Calories: 15kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Potassium: 27mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 2.3mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Filed Under: The Larder Tagged With: , ,

Seedless Wild Blackberry and Lime Jam

This Seedless Wild Blackberry and Lime Jam is a firm early autumn favourite recipe. It’s tangy and not too sweet and best of all contains no added pectin. There are just four ingredients: wild blackberries, granulated sugar, limes and a couple of bramley apples to help it set. The flavour is superb and just an hour or so of work from start to finish will result in the most deliciously versatile jam you can eat all year round.

A jar of Wild Blackberry Lime Jam with a spoon in it and the ingredients surrounding

Blackberries must be one of my favourite fruits as it was only when I was skimming through my archives that I realised how abundant my blackberry recipes are compared to other fruits. That is mainly because of our household obsession with foraging. I am not the worst culprit believe it or not, Luke, who has to be pried out of bed most mornings with a chisel, casts aside the duvet with giddy abandon when those first blackberries start bursting through the hedgerows. All our foraging is done at dawn whilst walking Billy Buddy, much to his chagrin. As Luke delves deep into the blackberry bushes, poor Billy hops from paw to paw, barely bearing the wait until Luke is back on more solid ground again.

A teacup full of blackberries and a lime

We only have a small freezer but dollars for doughnuts you will always find this time of year the blackberries have stolen all the space. This Seedless Wild Blackberry and Lime Jam though has to be the recipe which you brandish victoriously when you’ve over indulged with the foraging. It was the first jam I truly loved as the juicy tartness of the blackberries and the zesty zing of the lime cut through all the sugar to create a really complex taste which is perfect for toast, for sandwich cakes, jam tarts and as a replacement filler in these oat bars.

A pot of Wild Blackberry Lime Jam

A bowl with Wild Blackberry Lime Jam

A workstation with utensils for Wild Blackberry Lime Jam

I have always made this jam seedless and it’s a little bit of a faff but there are pros and cons to it. The pro is that you don’t need to prepare the bramley apples, bar a bit of rough chopping, which get thrown in a preserving pan with the blackberries straight off the bat. Once the fruit has softened then they get passed through a sieve which is the faffy con bit. However, if you do a lot of preserving then I seriously recommend a food mill which make very light work of removing the skin and seeds from the fruit without losing any fruit pulp.

A jar of Wild Blackberry Lime Jam with a spoon in it and the ingredients surrounding

If you don’t have a food mill and are de-seeding by hand and sieve then you might have a bit more substantial seedy pulp left behind in the sieve. Don’t you dare throw this away you lucky ducks as it’s marvellous for making blackberry vinegar or blackberry gin.

A jar of Wild Blackberry Lime Jam with a spoon in it and the ingredients surrounding
Print Recipe

Seedless Wild Blackberry and Lime Jam

This easy Seedless Wild Blackberry and Lime Jam is a deliciously versatile four ingredient jam with no added pectin and a tangy zesty flavour.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: British
Servings: 80 servings
Calories: 60kcal
Author: Georgina Hartley

Ingredients

  • 1.5 kg blackberries
  • 500 g bramley apples
  • 3 limes zest of 2 and juice of 3
  • 1 kg granulated sugar

Instructions

  • Firstly place 5 saucers into the freezer and then sterilize the jars and lids by placing them in an oven heated to 100°C for 20 minutes.
  • Roughly chop the apples without peeling or coring, then place in a large preserving pan with the blackberries. Heat gently until all the fruit has softened.
  • Remove from the heat, then pass everything through a sieve or food mill.
  • Replace the seedless fruit pulp back into the saucepan and keep the seedy fruit pulp for another purpose (like blackberry gin or vinegar).
  • Add the lime juice and sugar to the saucepan and heat gently so all the sugar has dissolved. Once dissolved, bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 5 minutes then turn off the heat and place on one of the cold saucers from the freezer. Leave for 1 minute then push the jam with your finger. If the jam wrinkles on the surface it’s ready. If not, then turn the jam back on a boil for a further 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and try the saucer test again.
  • Once the jam is ready remove the scum from the surface of the jam and then stir in the lime zest.
  • Decant the jam into the sterilised jars, screw the lids on tightly and store until ready to use.

Notes

  • The jam can be kept for up to 12 months if kept in a cool dark place
Yield 10 180g jars

Nutrition

Calories: 60kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.1mg

If you like this recipe then you may like…

Blackberry Ripple Ice Cream

Blackberry Ripple Ice Cream

Blackberry Hoisin Sauce

Blackberry Hoisin Sauce

Filed Under: The Larder Tagged With: , ,

Raspberry Coconut Jam

Raspberry Coconut Jam is a beautifully simple classic raspberry jam, made all the better with lashings of coconut.

A jar of Raspberry Coconut Jam with a spoon

Of all the jams surely raspberry jam is the most superior? Well it’s certainly the jam that the Women’s Institute deem the only appropriate jam for an approved WI Victoria Sponge so that certainly tells us something. Here I’ve amped up a very easy raspberry jam by marrying it with coconut, a love story for our times and it’s no exaggeration to say that this Raspberry and Coconut Jam is taking over my life at the moment.

Last month we travelled up to Scotland for a wedding and made a mini-holiday of it. It’s a bit on an effort to go anywhere with a baby so we got quite cosy in Fife, staying at the gorgeous Cairnie Fruit Farm which not only has a maize maze (!!!) but they also bottle their own jam with fruit freshly plucked from the vine. On our arrival they left us a delicious pot of their raspberry jam with fresh scones. It was like I suddenly discovered raspberry jam again, I had forgotten just how utterly vibrant and exciting it is.

Raspberries and sugar macerating

How to Make Easy Raspberry Jam

The secret to an easy raspberry jam is to use equal parts fruit and jam sugar. To be honest once you have that little bit of info in your back pocket you can pretty much make any jam. Raspberries don’t have much natural pectin, the special stuff present in most fruit which helps a jam achieve its setting point. You could pair the raspberries with another fruit like apples which are high in pectin, also a good method of making your raspberry jam go further, but if you are after a clean raspberry taste then jam sugar is your best friend as it has pectin built in. I also included the juice of a lemon not only for more pectin to ensure an easy set but also to encourage the piquancy of our raspberry flavour.

overview of a jar of raspberry coconut jam with a spoon in it

Now this wouldn’t be much of a love story without a leading man and for that part I have cast the superstar coconut. He is everything a raspberry could wish for, this jam is truly a romance for the ages. The two flavours are just meant to be together and that’s that.

Pro Tip

My favourite way to incorporate a certain flavour into anything is to include two different dimensions of the same ingredient, so here I don’t just use coconut cream or desiccated coconut but a combination of both. The desiccated coconut is steeped in the heated coconut cream to soften it up and then this delicious coconut mixture is added at the beginning of the jam process. It couldn’t be easier.

Omit the Coconut

If you don’t like coconut then you can simply use the method outlined below for the raspberry jam and omit the coconut but why would you??? It’s true love!

A labelled jar of raspberry coconut jam

If you would like more jam recipes then why not try:
Pumpkin Jam
Blackberry Lime Jam
Strawberry Redcurrant Jam
Pear and Cobnut Jam

If you make this Raspberry Coconut Jam then please leave a comment below and/or give the recipe a rating. If you then go on to use this recipe as a launch pad for your own baking creation then I’d also love it if you’d share it and tag me on Instagram. It is so lovely for me to see your versions and variations of my recipes.

overview of a jar of raspberry coconut jam with a spoon in it
Print Recipe

Raspberry Coconut Jam

Raspberry Coconut Jam is a beautifully simple classic raspberry jam, made all the better with lashings of coconut.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: British
Servings: 6 200ml jars
Calories: 471kcal
Author: Georgina Hartley

Ingredients

  • 1 kg raspberries
  • 1 kg jam sugar
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 200 ml coconut cream
  • 50 g desiccated coconut

Instructions

  • Place your raspberries, jam sugar and lemon juice in a large bowl and stir well. Leave to macerate together for at least a couple of hours.
  • Pour the coconut cream into a saucepan and stir in the desiccated coconut. Bring to the boil then turn off the heat and let stand for a couple of hours.
  • Stir the raspberries, sugar, lemon juice and coconut mixture together in a large preserving pan then bring to a rolling boil.
  • Boil the mixture hard for about 5 minutes. Once the jam reaches 104°C or passes the saucer wrinkle test (see note below) then decant into sterilised jars.
  • Leave the jam to cool before labelling.

Notes

  • If you can’t find coconut cream you can extract the cream from a tin of coconut milk. Place a 400g tin of coconut milk in the fridge for a day or so, whereupon the coconut cream will harden and separate itself from the coconut water. When you open the tin you should be able to just scoop out the cream leaving the water behind. There should be about 200g of cream in a 400g tin.
  • I often do steps 1 and 2 last thing in the evening and place both the macerating raspberries and the steeping coconut in the fridge (in separate containers) and then begin my jam first thing the next day.
  • The saucer wrinkle test basically requires you to put about 5 saucers in your freezer when you begin making your jam. Once you think the jam might be ready then you can double check by removing a saucer from the freezer, dropping a teaspoon of jam on it then placing the saucer in the fridge. After about 30 seconds remove the saucer and push the jam with your finger. If it wrinkles up it’s ready, if it just pools back into the space your finger has left then it needs more bubbling time. Boil it a bit longer, then test again with another saucer.
  • To sterilise the jars place the very clean jars you would like to use in an oven pre-heated to 140°C for 20 minutes. Sterilise the lids by dropping them into a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes with a splash of vinegar. I don’t sterilise my lids in the oven as they tend to ruin.
  • The jam can be stored in a cool dark place for about 12 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 471kcal | Carbohydrates: 113g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 520mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 70g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 44.6mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2.8mg
Filed Under: The Larder Tagged With: , ,