Method

Before starting your jam-making, you want to make sure you have cleaned, dried and sterilised your jam jars. Simply wash them in soapy water, dry them, then place them into the oven for 10 minutes at 140C. 

Raspberry Jam

1. Into a small bowl, add the pectin and sugar (50g) mixture. Stir the mixture together and set this to one side.

2. Add the fresh raspberries, honey, and remaining sugar into a medium saucepan. Place the pan onto a medium heat and stir it together.

3. Keep cooking the mixture until it reaches 80C on a digital thermometer, and stir in the sugar/pectin mixture.

4. Continue to cook the mixture until it reaches 104C – this can take a little while, between 5-10 minutes so keep a close eye on the thermometer, stirring it pretty continuously. 

5. 104C is an important temperature as this is the setting temperature for jams. The closer it gets to this temperature, the thicker and darker the jam will become, and the bubbles will become heavier.

6. As you are cooking it, use a spoon to skim off any foam/impurities that rise to the top.

7. Remove it from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and then distribute it between your jam jars. You should get 2 jars.

8. Leave them to cool to room temperature before refrigerating.  

Strawberry Jam

1. Into a small bowl, add the pectin and sugar (70g) mixture. Stir the mixture together and set this to one side.

2. Hull the fresh strawberries and slice them in half. If the strawberries are smaller, then you can leave them whole. 

3. Add the sugar and water into a saucepan, and cook it until it reaches 120C. 

4. Once at temperature, immediately tip in the strawberries, stir them through the sugar mixture, then add the pectin sugar mixture. 

5. Continue to cook the mixture until it reaches 104C – this can take a little while, between 5-10 minutes so keep a close eye on the thermometer, stirring it pretty continuously. 104C is an important temperature as this is the setting temperature for jams. The closer it gets to this temperature, the thicker and darker the jam will become, and the bubbles will become heavier.

5. As you are cooking it, use a spoon to skim off any foam/impurities that rise to the top.

6. Remove it from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and then distribute it between your jam jars. You should get 2 jars (or maybe slightly more) 

7. Allow them to cool to room temperature before refrigerating/storing.

Seville Orange Marmalade (My Dad’s Recipe)

1. Wash the Seville oranges if they are dirty.

2. Cut the oranges in half and juice them. Pour the juice into a medium saucepan.

3. Scoop out the flesh from the inside of the oranges and place these into a muslin cloth.

4. Take the remaining peels of the oranges, and cut them into thin strips (or thicker strips if you prefer slightly chunkier strips in your marmelade). Add these to the pan. 

5. Add the juice of the lemons into the pan, and place the juiced lemons into the muslin cloth too. Tie thie up so the orange flesh and lemons are secured. 

6. Place the muslin into the saucepan, along with the water.

7. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then lower it to a simmer, and continue to cook the mixture until the orange peels are very soft. Anywhere from 1-2 hours!  

8. Remove the muslin and squeeze out the juices from it, into the pan.

9. Add in the sugar and boil the mixture, cooking it until it reaches the jam-setting point of 104C.

10. Once it has reached the setting point, remove it from the heat for 15 minutes, and during this time a lot of froth/impurities will rise. Skim these off. The resting time will also help to distribute the orange peels.

11. Scoop the marmalade into your sterilised jam jars (it will make 7-8 jars!). Allow them to cool to room temperature and then place the lids on and refrigerate/store.