by Susan Penny
Quantity: 4 – 6 jam jars
Ingredients
910g (2lb) ripe strawberries
680g (1 1/2lb) sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
Method
1 Stalk fruit and inspect for any damage.
2 Put the strawberries in a preserving pan or large heavy-based saucepan with the lemon juice and heat very gently, stirring all the time until the mixture boils.
3 Add the sugar gradually, stirring all the time, until the sugar is dissolved.
4 Turn up the heat and boil hard for 10 mins without stirring – until setting point of 105C is reached on a preserving thermometer. Alternatively, to check for set, spoon a little jam onto a cold saucer (cooled in the freezer), leave for 30 secs, then push the jam with your finger; if the jam wrinkles, it is ready. If not, boil the jam for another 2 mins, turn off the heat and repeat the test. Continue in this way until the jam reaches the setting point.
5 Remove from the heat, skim off any scum.
6 Leave the jam for about 15mins to cool. Pour into warm sterilised jars, seal and label. Fill just below the rim. Place a wax disc on top of the jam (this will prevent mildew forming), then cover with a lid or cellophane circle. Label, and store in a cool, dry place for 1 year. Opened jars should be stored in the refrigerator and used within 1 month. Our downloadable jam pot labels and pot toppers are a great way to finish the jars.
Susan Penny on the Handmade Blog
When I think of strawberries I think of the British summer and Wimbledon. Somehow those words conjure up the magic of lazy days in the sun. I have always wanted to go to Wimbledon. Not just for the tennis, but to see the mammoth catering operation that goes on behind the scenes. On the official Wimbledon website it lists the quantities needed to keep the crowds, who flock to the catering tents, fed and watered over the Wimbledon fortnight. As well as the 300,000 cups of tea and coffee, 250,000 bottles of water, 207,000 meals, 200,000 glasses of Pimm’s, 190,000 sandwiches, 150,000 bath buns, scones, pastries and doughnuts, 135,000 ice creams, 100,000 pints of draught beer and lager, 32,000 portions of fish and chips, 30,000 litres of milk, 25,000 bottles of champagne, 23,000 bananas, 22,000 slices of pizza, 20,000 portions of frozen yoghurt, 12,000kg of poached salmon and smoked salmon, 7000 litres of dairy cream, 6000 stone-baked pizzas… and an amazing 28,000kg (112,000 punnets) of English strawberries, that’s over 8500 punnets a day, that are hulled, inspected and served with 7000 litres of fresh cream!
So, if there are any strawberries left after Wimbledon fortnight, why not make some delicious strawberry jam, which you can use on buttered scones or between the layers of a Victoria sandwich. The sweet taste of summer packed into the jars is sure to convert you to homemade jam forever.
