Catherine Fulvio’s Top Tips for Jam Making

The Joy of Homemade Jam

There’s nothing quite like the taste of homemade jam and preserves. The flavour is on another level, truly delicious! Once you’ve tried it, you’ll immediately notice the difference. Making your own jam also brings a wonderful sense of nostalgia and is a great way to use seasonal fruit. With Ballyknocken Cookery School located on a working farm in County Wicklow, we’re always looking for new ways to make the most of what our land provides.

 Jam Making Season: A Year-Round Delight

While we often associate jam making with summer, it can really be a year-round activity. You can freeze excess fruit, so whenever you have a good stash built up, you can make a few jars. However, if you’re looking for the best seasonal ingredients, here’s what to look for:

• Summer Berries: We’re just finishing up with strawberries, redcurrants, raspberries, and blackberries.
• Autumn Harvest: As we head into autumn, it’s the perfect time for foraging for wild berries like blackberries and sloes. You’ll also find a bounty of apples and plums.
• Foraging for Flavour: Look for elderberries in September—they’re packed with vitamin C! You might also find damsons, crab apples, and rosehips.

The Magic of Pectin

Pectin is a natural carbohydrate found in the cell walls of fruits and vegetables. In jam making, it’s what helps your jam set. Without it, you’d end up with a more pourable compote.

Some fruits are naturally high in pectin, such as crab apples, cranberries, and redcurrants. Softer fruits like raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries are lower in pectin. You can buy pectin to help these jams set, or simply use jam sugar, which already has pectin added.

 Preparing Your Fruit and Equipment

When gathering fruit, always use ripe fruit. Overripe fruit, especially soft berries, can be susceptible to mould. If you’re using something like apples, simply cut off any bruised parts.

For jam-making equipment, you’ll want a large stainless-steel pot to avoid any metallic flavour. A good wooden or heat-proof spoon and a stainless-steel ladle are essential. Don’t forget your jam jars and lids! They must be properly sterilised in a hot oven or dishwasher to prevent mould.

I also recommend putting a couple of plates in the freezer before you start cooking. They’ll be essential for testing if your jam has set. You can also invest in a sugar thermometer for more precise results.

Creating Your First Jam: A Simple Strawberry Jam Recipe

A great beginner’s jam to try is strawberry jam. It’s a straightforward recipe with a simple 1:1 ratio of fruit to sugar.

1. Wash and chop your strawberries.
2. Macerate the fruit by mashing it with the sugar and leaving it overnight at room temperature. This helps the sugar dissolve and the fruit break down.
3. The next day, gently heat the mixture on the hob, stirring occasionally to make sure all the sugar has melted before bringing it to a rolling boil. This is crucial—if the sugar doesn’t melt, you’ll end up with a crystallised texture.
4. Once at a rapid boil, cook for 5-10 minutes. At this point, you can start testing for the “setting point” with your chilled plates.
5. Spoon a small amount of jam onto a cold plate. After a minute, run your finger through it. If the jam separates, it’s ready! If it runs back together, boil for another couple of minutes and test again.

Get Creative with Unique Flavour Combinations

Once you’ve mastered the basics, have fun experimenting with different flavours!

• Strawberry & Balsamic or Basil: Add balsamic early in the cooking process, or tear up fresh basil and stir it in at the very end.
• Blackberry & Sage: Finely chopped sage pairs beautifully with blackberries.
• Blueberry & Lemon Thyme: The bright flavour of lemon thyme elevates classic blueberry jam.
• Pear & Ginger: A classic pairing that is always delicious.

Top Tips to Avoid Jam Making Mistakes

• Sterilisation is key: To prevent mould, ensure your jars and lids are properly sterilised.
• Don’t overcook: Overcooked jam can lose its vibrant flavour and texture.
• Air bubbles: After filling your jars, tap them gently to release any trapped air bubbles.

Strawberry, Lemongrass & Vanilla Jam Recipe

This recipe makes about 250g of delicious jam.

Ingredients:

• 200g strawberries, washed and hulled
• 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised
• 1 vanilla bean pod, split
• 180g jam sugar

Method:

1. In a saucepan, combine the strawberries, bruised lemongrass stalk, vanilla pod, and jam sugar.
2. Gently heat the mixture on a medium heat, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.
3. Increase the heat and bring to a rapid boil. Boil for 4 minutes, stirring from time to time.
4. Remove the lemongrass stalk.
5. Allow the jam to cool slightly before spooning it into a sterilised jar and sealing tightly.
6. The vanilla pod can be washed, dried, and placed in a container of caster sugar to create vanilla sugar for future baking.

Spicy Blueberry & Pear Jam

 Ingredients

• 280g jam sugar
• 5 medium firm pears, cored, peeled and diced
• 3 tablespoons whiskey
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• A wide strip of orange peel
• 300g blueberries, washed

Method

1. Place the sugar, pears, whiskey, cumin, cloves, cinnamon stick and the strip of orange peel in a medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat.
2. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to simmer for about 5 to 6 minutes until the pears are just softened.
3. Add the blueberries and simmer for about 4 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and orange strip.
4. Ladle into sterile jam jars, place a parchment disc on top and seal with the lid. Store.

Happy jam making, and be sure to share your creations with us on social media!