A few months ago I bought 21 punnets of strawberries for $21. I hulled them and froze them in 1kg bags. These are good for shakes or sauces - but I needed the room in my freezer again and we were getting low on jam - so this was an obvious next step. You can also put other berries with strawberries in this one - frozen raspberries and blueberries are lovely to make a mixed berry jam.
This time of the year, this is a lovely home-made gift that will almost always be used by the recipient. I mean, who doesn't love home-made strawberry jam!?
Ingredients:
1.5kg strawberries, at room temperature
1.25kg sugar (yes, I know, but remember you only use a tb at a time!)
1/2 lemon
2 tb vanilla extract
Method:
If you are using frozen berries, defrost first, and then place in a heavy large saucepan.
Add vanilla, sugar and cut up lemon. Bring to the boil for about 5 minutes, then down to a simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Don't worry if you have a 'scum' on the top. This is normal, Just sweep as much of it off as you can with a spoon. Place a ceramic plate in the freezer for testing later..
As per my Nan's marmalade recipe, test to see if the jam is ready by placing a small amount of the jam on the plate. If it spreads, it's not ready. Bring the jam up to the boil again for 5 minutes and test again, repeat until it doesn't spread and it gel-like.
Pour into your sterilised jars (again, I do this by putting on a hot rinse in the microwave) and fill up your jars!
If you end up with 5.5 jars like me, that's a good excuse to put that one straight in the fridge!
Yum! Jam on scones time!
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