Pear & Vanilla Jam

The specks of real vanilla do!ed throughout the pale jam show its quality, infusing their aromatic "avour. Here, macerating the pears also brings out the most "avour from the fruit.

MAKES ABOUT 1.3KG/ 4 CUPS

1kg/2lb 4oz pears, peeled, cored and cut into chunky slices juice of 2 lemons 750g/3 cups sugar 1 vanilla pod/bean

Place the pears in a bowl with the lemon juice to stop them discolouring. Sprinkle the sugar over the fruit and add 200ml/¾ cup water.

Slice the vanilla pod/ bean in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds, then tuck the pod in among the pears and add the seeds. Cover the bowl with a plate and leave overnight for the sugar to soak up the juices from the fruit.

The next day, pour the contents of the bowl into a preserving pan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, then turn up the heat and boil rapidly to reach se"ing point (see page 127), by which time the pear pieces will be translucent. Skim the jam if necessary (see page 127).

Remove the vanilla pod, then pour the jam into hot, sterilised jars and seal.

‘Jam is a traditional part of homemaking that celebrates the seasons and somehow makes life cosier and more comforting’