The secret of soft fruit jams is to cook the fruit before adding the sugar. The fruit should be tender; try simmering very slowly for around 15 minutes. Blackcurrants are very flavourful, and full of pectin, so this is a very straightforward jam to make.
For jars, I wash these in the dishwasher, and then put the lids into boiling water and the jars into the oven at 80 C.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 kg blackcurrants
- 1.25 kg granulated sugar
- 800 ml water
METHOD:
- simmer the fruit and water until the blackcurrants are soft
- stir in the sugar and cook slowly until the sugar has dissolved
- Boil rapidly to the setting point. I use the cold saucer technique, so that a drop of hot jam on a cold saucer forms a wrinkle when pushed with a finger.
- Pour into heated jars, and put the dried lids on.
Blackcurrants go well with blueberries, blackberries, figs, grapes, lemon, lime, passion fruit, pears, raspberry, redcurrent, strawberries, ginger, mint, rosemary and thyme. You can also add rose or vanilla essence. If I am mixing flavours, I usually stick to two. Blackcurrant and mint is a favourite.