ELISABETH LUARD

JAM TOMORROW

Newly arrived on my kitchen table, Pam-the-jam: The Book of Preserves (Bloomsbury £20) is a timely reminder of our government’s advice to stock the store cupboard before – how to put it apolitically? – the Hallowe’en deadline.

Pam Corbin, author of a River Cottage Handbook on the same subject, sold the preserve-making business with which she made her name to Messrs Wilkin, suppliers of jam to HM’S breakfast tray, so she can be considered no slouch with the preserving pan. As an opportunist jam-maker myself, I put up a pound or two whenever I’ve overindulged in the two-for-one offers at the fruit stall in the farmer’s market. I do it the old-fashioned way: chop the fruit into a bowl, add enough sugar to coat the pieces, leave to make juice overnight, transfer the sticky mess to a roomy pan and leave to bubble on a medium heat for as long as it takes to eat breakfast. Ten minutes does the trick. Sometimes it’s runny, sometimes firm; if the base sticks and burns, tip the soft stuff into a clean pan and bubble it up again.

I’ve no doubt that this method is risky, unprofessional and appropriate only to small quantities. Which makes Ms Corbin’s meticulous, step-by-step guide to professional preserve-making particularly useful to jam-makers who’ve already acquired bad habits as well as to people who don’t usually make their own. Experienced jam-makers will appreciate her low-sugar recipes that halve or even quarter the traditional ratio – equal sugar to fruit pulp – through the judicious addition of lemon juice and extra pectin.

Useful tips include that the froth that rises as the fruit begins to boil subsides like magic with the addition of a drop of oil. Even more useful is the advice that if, like me, you test for set without a sugar thermometer, chill the test plate first and don’t expect firmness when you push the test droplet with your finger – you’re looking for a soft fold rather than old-lady wrinkles. Aren’t we all?

Spiced plum jam with star anise In this low-sugar spread (Pam’s appropriate description, as the result is quite solid), the flavour of the fruit is concentrated through a quick preliminary roasting, which has the added advantage that skinning and stoning become much easier. You’ll find pectin powder boxed in packets of 8g sachets in the vicinity of the sugar shelf in well-stocked supermarkets; instructions are also given in the book for preparing your own powdered pectin. Note: I’ve shortened the method for reasons of space – further and better instructions and tips are in the book.

Makes 4 or 5 x 200ml jars

1.5kg plums (any variety), rinsed and de-stalked 3-4 star anise About 200g granulated sugar About 16g (2 sachets) pectin Juice of 1-2 lemons (about 50ml)

Spread the plums in a baking tray and tuck in the star anise. Roast at 180°C/gas 4 for 15-20 minutes, till the skins begin to split. Set aside till cool enough to handle. Discard the stones and skin (or leave unskinned, as you please). Weigh the flesh, and for every 500g allow 200g sugar and 8g pectin. Place the plum flesh and lemon juice in a heavy-based or preserving pan and set over a gentle heat. Mix the sugar and pectin and sprinkle the mixture over the plums, stirring till the sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for about five minutes, till the jam turns thick and glossy. Pot in sterilised jars while it’s hot and give the sealed containers a precautionary five-minute simmer in a water bath.