Well I have to write this as I promised to do so in my earlier piece Why I’m going to make jam, which I think would be more appropriately titled as “Reluctant confessions of a novice jam maker“. I’m no longer reluctant to make jam – but I am very hesitant to confess the results!
Yesterday I kicked off with plum jam made from plums purloined from my sister’s garden while she was on holiday. It went so well. It tasted delicious. It passed the cold plate test. I was so proud. And then…
I only went and left the pan to cool down for Delia’s recommended 15 minutes, on the switched off ceramic hob – forgetting that it stays burning hot for ages. When I gathered my jam jars from the hot oven and got ready to pour I found it had turned to a thick, brown, burned mess and there was only enough for one jar which I have christened Plum Scum!
Today was the turn of Hilary’s peaches, grown in her wonderful Victorian conservatory. She warned me they were low pectin fruits and as I had to freeze them between picking and making the jam, the pectin was likely to be even lower. I therefore used jam sugar and added a load of pectin. Despite this, it was a bit runny but I thought acceptable (I don’t mind runny if it tastes good). I added some strawberries I happened to have and that gave the jam a nicer colour, however it’s definitely not set, despite the boiling and the added pectin as it seems to be sloshing about in the jars.
So not an auspicious start, but I am determined to press on. I was kindly donated the jam jars by a lady through Freecycle and today bought myself a funnel as it’s very tricky without one. As I still have tons of rosehips – some frozen and some on the bush I may try rosehip jam. Otherwise it will be whatever I can snaffle from friends or the supermarket has on offer. Although I’m minded to try my hand at chutney next!
My only previous jam making attempt was at age 14 when I made some raspberry jam – very successfully I might add (but I did have my Mum standing over me).
What I wish I’d had before I started (and more)
>> A jam funnel
>> and to stop me scrumping my sister’s plums this is a dead cert! My own Victoria Plum tree
>> A decent jam pan (this one’s the dog’s b’s)
>> An alternative and cheaper jam pan
OR best of the lot for slackers like me this Tefal electric jam maker sounds like a total godsend – the results are sure to impress your friends and family and you can always hide it in the cupboard! It sounds as though it takes all the anxiety and guess work out of the process while still allowing you to have homemade deliciousness.. Sign me up Scottie! >> Tefal Jam Maker
Posted by sue kotecha (unregistered) on September 1, 2009 at 1:30am
Hi Clare, just been viewing your novice jam making sessions and almost had the same accident with the ceramic hob as you making my plum jam this week. I made some blackberry jam from blackberries picked in Rottingdean, Sussex and the jam turned out to be fantastic - although I did have to use the pectin sugar. see photos of the jam on my Facebook which is: ferretneckcancer8 and send me a message. I plan to do some greengage jam, but have heard you should use slightly underripe ones, or else the jam turns out yellow instead of that gorgeous green. Good luck with further sessions. Sue