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What’s sweet, sticky, and makes the perfect gift? Yes, we’re talking about jam!
Food writer Claire Dinhut (aka @condimentclaire) takes us through her step-by-step method…
Since this is a template for a low-sugar jam, it won’t keep as long as a standard shop-bought jar. Sugar is a preserving agent, so the less you use, the less time the jam will keep. You’ve still got a good six months minimum of preservation (and trust me, I have kept them for longer). Once opened, I recommend storing the jars in the fridge.
For extra-astringent and sour produce like rhubarb, feel free to up the ratio to include more sugar – perhaps try a ratio of 2:1 fruit to sugar. Here’s the thing: you can rush jam, but you shouldn’t. T
he longer you macerate the fruit in sugar and lemon, the gloopier, stickier and shinier it will be. That is why the only step here that I urge you to follow is the 12-hour minimum maceration in lemon and sugar, if you’re using regular sugar (not jam sugar).
WHAT YOU NEED TO GET STARTED
- Fruit
- White granulated sugarr
- Lemons
- Large pot (it honestly doesn’t need to be a specialised preserving pan)
- Cooking thermometer
- Sterilised jars
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
1. Peel the fruit, if you’d like. I peel fruit with cores such as apples, quinces and pears, but leave the skin on fruit with pits and smaller seeds such as apricots or plums. It’s truly
up to you.
2. Cut the fruit into pieces the size of your liking.
3. Weigh your fruit and add around a third of its weight in sugar. Put both fruit and sugar into the large pot. This ratio is so flexible, but since I don’t like jam too sweet, I usually stick to it. I also like easy numbers so, if I have about 700g of fruit, instead of measuring out a perfect third of that (233.3g) in sugar, I’ll usually add 250g.
4. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon (or 2–3 depending on your amount of fruit and preference for acidity). Throw the lemon shells in, too. Let the fruit, sugar and lemon sit in the fridge overnight.
5. Next morning, your fruit should have let out a lot of sticky liquid. This is fantastic – it will become the shiny jelly holding the jam together.
6. Place a small plate or saucer in your freezer.
7. Place your pot over a high heat and boil the jam for 20–30 minutes, removing the lemon shells after 5 minutes. Once the jam reaches 104–105°C on the cooking thermometer, it should be ready!
8. Take out your chilled plate, plop a bit of jam on it and tilt the plate. It should be thick and shouldn’t run down the plate. If it does, feel free to keep it over the heat for longer to thicken it, or just jar it anyway! Liquid jam isn’t bad jam, it’s just a matter of texture preference.
9. Fill the sterilised jars with the jam, close the lids and flip over to seal. You’ll hear pops from each jar over the next few hours. Congratulations! You have made jam!
Tip: Once you have mastered this basic three-ingredient jam, feel free to add additional fruit, herbs or spices, change the sugar level and so forth. You’ll see it’s shockingly easy, and in no time you’ll be adding your entire fridge and kitchen cupboards to the pot. The real beauty of making your own jam is that you can suit it to your tastebuds.
STERILISING JARS
To do this, simply wash empty jars and lids (for maximum hygiene, the lids should be new) in hot soapy water, then put them in an oven preheated to 130°C.
While they only need around
10 minutes, I usually put them in once I start cooking the fruit for a jam, so they can sometimes be in there for closer to an hour, depending on what I’m making. Since you’re also cooking your jam until it reaches 104–105°C, its high heat will kill off any bacteria.
After filling the hot sterilised jars with the hot preserve, I flip the jars onto their lids. This both seals them and sterilises the lids once more from the inside. Here’s the thing – if a jar is sealed, looks great, smells appetising and has been stored in a cool dark environment, you’re usually good to go.
If there’s any mould growth, toss it out! Further, my recipes are for making small amounts, so it’s likely you’ll finish them before too much time goes by.
Tip: Never add cold food or liquid to hot jars as this can cause the glass to break.
TRY THESE DELICIOUS PAIRING IDEAS
- With bagels and cream cheese
- With poached or scrambled eggs
- With omelettes
- On any breakfast toast
- With salty cheese
- In cured meat sandwiches (ham, mortadella)
- With roast sweet vegetables (carrots, parsnips, squash, sweetcorn)
- Counterbalanced by cool dairy (sour cream, Mexican crema, creme fraiche, yoghurt, kefir, cottage cheese)
- As the base layer to a tart
- To fill a creamy cake
Edited extract from The Condiment Book (Bloomsbury)
by Claire Dinhut, $29.99 at Dymocks
For more of Claire’s tips and recipes for making condiments including jam, mayonnaise, mustard, sauces, ferments, pickles, dressings and much more buy a copy of The Condiment Book, or visit @condimentclaire
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