This last 12 months has seen me learning to make jam. Last year I bought the wonderful river cottage book of preserves and have made quite a few different sorts from it. The apple cider butter is lovely and I made a lot of jars. Also a successful strawberry jam and some cherry jelly from a huge bag of cherries I took from a friends tree (she didn't know what they were and had, previously, let them all go to waste).
I can't say that everything has been successful however. I tried modifying the apple cider butter and making it with pears instead, but it didn't really set properly and is a bit too sweet. I am getting the hang of the setting point slowly, the strawberry jam was perfect. Obviously it would help if I had a jam thermometer. I bought one and it broke rather quickly and I have been attempting to do it with the old saucer in the fridge test.
Anyway, the result has been that I have a store cupboard full of jams which is wonderful. I have a flat mate at the moment who loves jam and can demolish a whole jar in about 3 days, so it is a good job I made so much.
I have a jam thermometer...I've never used it. I stick with the saucer test and it works fine for me
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