Scottish Raspberry Jam

I love this time of year. Why, you ask? Well, it certainly isn't the weather, as all we have is rain, rain and more rain here in Scotland. No, the reason I love this time of year, is because it is berry season.

For some reason the berries are extra tasty this year. I think if must be because of the glorious weather we had in the Spring. Whatever the reason, I am not complaining. I do so love berries.

I visited Arbuckles, a local berry farm, last week and loaded up on strawberries and raspberries. The strawberries were just for guzzling, but the raspberries were bought with the intention of making jam. I scouted about the internet for a recipe and realised that most recipes for raspberry jam called for equal quantities of raspberries and sugar, so I went from there. Lovely soft set jam, just the way I like it. My first sample just had to be on a fruit scone. Perfect!

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Scottish Raspberry Jam

by Jacqueline Meldrum

January 24, 2011

Use the freshest berries of the season to make this truly delicious and soft raspberry jam and have a little bit of Summer all year long.

Ingredients

• 4 lb/1.8kg raspberries
• 4 lb/1.8kg caster sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• a knob of butter

Instructions

Sterilise jam jars. I sterilise my jars in the dishwasher at a high temperature, but you could sterilise your jars in the traditional way.

Place the sugar in a heatproof bowl and pop in a moderate oven for 10 minutes to heat up.

Put a saucer in the freezer to cool for testing the jam.

Rinse berries and place in a large, heavy based saucepan with the lemon juice and cook over a gentle heat for 2-3 minutes until the juices are just beginning to run.

Add the warm sugar and stir until it has dissolved.

Bring to a rapid boil and allow the jam to bubble away for around 10 minutes over a high heat, stirring regularly, during this time, add a knob of butter, which will help to reduce the foam of bubbles rising to the surface. Remove any foam that is left over with a spoon.

To test the jam, put a spoonful on your cold plate, leave to sit for a few seconds and then push your finger through the jam, if it wrinkles, it's ready.

Remove from the heat and pour into sterilised jam jars.

The jam will set as it cools.

Fills 6 x 1 lb /454g jam jars and a little left over to try as soon as it cools.

Details

Total time: 30 mins
Yield: 6 x 1 lb /454g jam jars

If you are now in the mood for jam, here a few recipes to tempt you:

1. Strawberry Jam over at Down on the Allotment

2. Plum Jam over at Green Gourmet Giraffe

3. Mango & Orange Peel Jam one of my own recipes.

4. Rum Pumpkin Jam over at Allotment 2 Kitchen

5. Damson Jam over at Nip it in the Bud

6. Black Cherry & Cointreau Jam over at A Pot of Tea and a Biscuit

7. Strawberry & Rhubarb Jam one of mine

8. Bramble Jelly over at A Wee Bit of Cooking

9. Wild Fruit Jam over at Book the Cook

10. Mirabelle Jam over at Cherrapeno

11. Summer Fruit Jam yep, another one of mine

12. Peach & Apricot Jam over at Chocolate Teapot

13. Mango & Cardamon Jam over at Closet Cooking

14. Nectarine Preserve over at eCurry

15. Thai Ginger, Rhubarb & Chilli Jam over at Fuss Free Flavours

note: photos above links have been added with permission