Seriously folks, this is so easy. I don't know WHAT I was scared of!
I decided to give it a go when I received a HEAP of plums and nectarines in my CSA box. There is no way I was going to eat them all {who was I kidding - I wasn't going to eat even 1 plum! Not my favourite fruit...}, so, a perfect excuse for jam.
I also called on twitter for help! My friend Johanna (@johannaBD) who recently moved to Tassie {and who has seriously discovered her inner jam and preserve making self! Just check our HER blog!} and my BlogHer Food bus buddy, Marisa from the US, who writes the very inspiring Food In Jars blog, answered my call!
I used:
1.5kg mixture of plums, nectarines and a couple of squishy peaches {washed, stones removed and chopped}
1kg sugar
2 lemons, juiced but throw the squeezed lemon bit in the pot too!
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| On advice from twitter friends, I didn't bother peeling any of the fruit. However if I had more than 2-3 peaches I may have peeled those. |
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| Everything in the pot! SO EASY! What WAS I scared of?? |
Throw it all in a heavy bottomed pot {I used a Le Crueset given to me a few years ago as a combined Christmas and Birthday gift for about 2 years! BEST GIFT EVER} and bring it slowly to the boil, stirring so the sugar all melts. Once it's boiling {after about 20 minutes}, turn down the heat and simmer for an hour, with the lid off, stirring every 15 minutes or so.
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| Bubble, bubble, bubble... |
After an hour give it the saucer in the freezer test. Place a spoonful of jam on a saucer, place in the freezer for 5 minutes. If it's wrinkly when you run your finger through it, it's good to go. If it's runny, let it keep simmering. Give it the saucer in the freezer test every 20-30 minutes until it's done.
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| OK so technically this didn't really pass the wrinkle test, but I was ready for bed! As a result my jam is a bit runny. But just as tasty! |
CAREFULLY pour the jam into sterilised jars, seal and leave overnight {take out the lemon pieces}. There are a few ways to sterelise jars - the easiest is to pop them in the dishwasher for a cycle, then fill them with jam while they are still hot.
Serve the jam on crusty sourdough with butter and a cup of tea.
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| A perfect Sunday afternoon snack while catching up on the papers |
The only challenge I now face is what to do with my 8 jars of jam? I really don't have a sweet tooth... as the 2005 use by date on the strawberry jam in the fridge will attest to... if you're in Brisbane let me know if you want a jar.
Is there a dish that used to scare you until you made it and discovered how easy it is?
