RECIPE | Home-made jam with freshly picked raspberries

With a bucket of freshly picked raspberries from Field Berry Farm, food editor Hilary Biller got down to making jam with her quick and easy recipe made in the microwave. She shares some tips.

RASPBERRY JAM

Ingredients:

500g fresh raspberries

30ml (2 tbsp) fresh lemon juice, not bottled

400g white granulated sugar

Method:

1. Place the raspberries and lemon juice into a large, microwave-safe glass bowl (sturdy Pyrex-style glass mixing bowls are good to use) and microwave on full power for 3 minutes.
2. Remove and stir in the sugar, mashing the fruit.
3. Return to the microwave and cook for 15-20 minutes stopping every four minutes to remove the scum from the surface with a spoon, taking care as the mixture will be very hot.
4. Cook until you reach the setting point (see tips) and, working carefully, pour the jam into the sterilised jars to come right to the brim of the jar as this keeps any oxygen out of the jam which can cause it to spoil. Seal immediately and allow to cool before labelling.

Tips:

• Don’t wash the raspberries as they become soggy and water logged.
• As there’s very little pectin in berries generally, the ingredient that helps the jam set, you can always add fresh, not bottled, lemon juice to the fruit.
• As the jam is quick to make, ensure you have sterilised jars and lids on standby on a tray. To sterilise, turn on the oven to 50°C, place the washed jars on the metal rack and leave there for 30 minutes before moving to a tray using oven gloves.
• Place the lids in a small pan, cover with water and bring to the boil for 5 minutes and remove.
• To test for the setting point, the most important part of making jam, before you start place three saucers in the freezer. After 15 minutes of cooking when the jam is beginning to thicken, test the jam by dropping a spoonful onto one of the cold saucers and leave to cool. If you can run your finger through the jam without it running, it’s ready.