Freezer Jam
This is simply fantastic. Summer strawberries, raspberries, cherries, blueberries, blackberries - any berries - fresh in flavour to be enjoyed all the year round. I have used honey as a sweetener. As there is no boiling of sugar this jam is slightly thinner in consistency than standard jam yet tastes amazing. Serve with scones, breakfast, alongside desserts, on ice cream, rice pudding – lots of options !!! If I have surplus frozen berries in the late spring I make up more freezer jam to keep me in fresh fruit until the current year's harvest comes along.
Makes 3 jars
Ingredients
450g Fresh strawberries (or any soft fruits) – leaves and hull removed – or the same weight in frozen berries.
Finely grated zests and juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange
45g honey
1 tsp vanilla paste
1 tsp ground cinnamon
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Preparation
Place the strawberries in a roomy bowl then use a potato masher to break them down to a pulp. Don’t over do it – you still want some good strawberry lumps.
In a small saucepan place the lemon and orange zests, honey and juices from the two fruits along with 200g of the strawberry pulp. Place over a moderate heat, stirring all the time then bring to a fast boil and bubble away for just 3 minutes stirring regularly. The mixture will thicken considerably, make sure it doesn’t burn!
Take off the heat and add to the remainder of the strawberry puree I the bowl. Stir in the vanilla and cinnamon. Give a good stir then transfer to three clean jars with screw top lids or plastic containers if you prefer.
Do not fill to the top of the jar – allow some headroom as the jam will expand as it freezes.
This jam will freeze for one year. When ready to use, take from the freezer, thaw overnight in the fridge and then it will keep for at least a week.
TO MAKE A FREEZER JAM USING FROZEN BERRIES:
Place the weight of frozen berries in a large saucepan or casserole and leave to thaw in the fridge or a cool plate (overnight is fine).
As these berries will be re-frozen I prefer to bring the whole lot to the boil rather than just 200g as we did for the fresh fruit jam. I do not mash the berries as they are soft already. Bring the berries, orange and lemon zests and juice to the boil for 3 minutes then take off the heat, stir in the honey, vanilla and cinnamon then transfer to warm sterilised jars or plastic containers, being careful not to fill right to the top – allow space for expansion. Once cold pop into the freezer.
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