Recipe Zone: Christine Hart's easy seasonal apple and wild blackberry jam
Ingredients:
500g apples, ideally ‘Peasegood’s Nonsuch’ or ‘Bramley’, peeled, cored and diced
500g wild blackberries, or substitute for more apples
1kg sugar (adjusted according to the sweetness of your apples)
1-2 lemons, or 50ml of lemon juice 150ml water
Optional: Crème de Cassis (blackcurrant liqueur), brandy or ground cinnamon for an indulgent twist
Method:
1. You will need a jam thermometer, plus jam jars with lids
2. Before chopping, wash the fruit carefully. Add the chopped apples, wild blackberries and water into pan and gently simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes, to soften the fruit, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
4. Add the 50ml of lemon juice.
5. Turn up the heat to medium/high for 10-15 minutes and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Using a jam thermometer, wait until the temperature reaches 104.5 degrees and then test to see if setting point has been reached.
At this point, you may add additional flavours, such as Crème de Cassis, brandy or cinnamon.
6. To test, place a small amount of preserve onto a heatproof dish that has been chilled in a fridge. Leave to stand for five minutes and run your finger through the mixture once it is cooled. It should wrinkle if set. Taste the preserve to see if it is at your desired sweetness.
7. Sterilise your jars and lids by washing in hot water, then place the jars in an oven at 120 degrees for 15 minutes. Place the lids in boiling water for five minutes, then remove and leave to dry in a warm oven.
8. Pour the preserve mixture into the hot, dry jars and fill to almost the top, leaving a small gap, and immediately seal the lid tightly onto the jars. Finally, label and store your jars for up to one year.