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Blackcurrant Jam

By Sally Lock Jul 13, 2016

I am fortunate enough to have a fruit cage in my garden, and this year has been particularly good for soft fruits, with an abundance of rain with just enough sunshine to ripen the berries!  

I have got a few holes in the netting, and have noticed the birds have also discovered my ripe berries, so have had to be quick to harvest what is left! They seem to prefer my redcurrants and have left me plenty of blackcurrants to pick, which are now simmering away on the Aga.

Soft fruits are always best picked when dry, as this ensures that the pectin is not diluted by the excess water in the fruit.  Jam is really quite easy to make, although blackcurrant jam is quite time consuming as the tiny ripe berries need to be picked from the stalks.  Raspberry Jam is much quicker, as there is minimal preparation required, a recipe for this can also be found here.

Ingredients

300g/10½oz fresh blackcurrants

300g/10½oz granulated or caster sugar

1 small lemon, juice only

Preparation method

  • Pick all the stalks from the blackcurrants, place the fruit in a saucepan, cover with 250ml/9fl oz water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the skins of the currants are very tender and the liquid has almost evaporated.

  • Add the sugar and lemon juice, bring to the boil then cook until the mixture reaches105C/220F if you have a sugar thermometer, or boil rapidly and keep checking for a set. You can do this by putting some saucers in the freezer, and then spoon a small amount of boiling jam onto the chilled plate, allow to cool, and if when pushed with your finger the jam goes wrinkly it is set.

  • Leave to cool for a few minutes then pour into hot, clean jars and seal immediately.

    This jam is delicious spread on hot buttered toast or freshly baked bread!

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Sally Lock

I have been writing blogs and features for some years, specialising in recipes and all things related to food. Previously, I wrote for an environmentally friendly garden website, and have been a recipe advisor for Womans Journal. Mother of three and the ultimate multi-tasker, I am also the Creative Director for Silversurfers and manage all our social media too.

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