One of the best things about summer is the abundance of seasonal fruits available and the myriad of recipes for delicious summery treats. A very easy recipe that we would like to share with you is gooseberry jam. Delicious spooned onto hot, buttered toast or as an ice-cream topping or maybe add a dollop to buttered scones? One thing is guaranteed, wherever it ends up, it will add a scrumptious twist!
Ingredients
1 kg gooseberries
1 kg granulated sugar
(1kg = 2lb 4oz)
Method
- Put a small plate into the freezer
- Wash the gooseberries, top and tail being sure not to use any that are damaged / over ripe
- Place the gooseberries into a large saucepan and cover with 150 ml of water. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to a simmer for a further 10 – 15 mins, until the fruit has become soft.
- Add in the sugar and continue to simmer over a reduce heat until it has dissolved.
- Once the sugar is fully dissolved, increase the heat and boil the mixture for 10 minutes. At this stage you can check to see if the jam has set.
- To check for setting, remove the plate from the freezer and place a small spoonful of the mixture on to it. After approx. one minute, slightly push the jam to see if it wrinkles. If it does then it is ready, otherwise just return it to the boil for a few more minutes and re-test as before. Continue this procedure until the jam has set.
- Once the jam is ready, turn the off the heat and skim off any scum at the top of the jam. Allow the jam to stand for approx 20 mins.
- Ladle / spoon the jam into sterilised jars (see below for simple sterilising method) and ensure the lids are closed tightly while the jam is still hot.
Sterilising Jars
- Pre-heat the oven to 135°C (275°F)
- Wash the jars in warm, soapy water and rinse well
- Turn upside down onto a baking sheet and place in the oven. Leave to dry completely (approx 30 minutes)
