apricot jam

 
I've always had problems with apricot jam, but from now on, this is my method. I'm so absurdly pleased with how this turned out. The big change to how I've made apricot jam in the past is to soften the fruit first in a few cups of water. Stirring well. This reduces the risk of the sugar catching or burning before the fruit has pulped. For some of my thoughts on jam making in general, see here. Especially the bit about having someone else looking after small children. And the big pot.

Ingredients

• 2-3 kilo of apricots including some that are on the green side
• white sugar, the same weight as the prepared fruit
• juice of two lemons (optional, but perhaps at the end)
• jars and cellophane covers

To make

• Wash fruit being diligent to remove all insects and bird shit.
• Wash jars in hot soapy water and rinse in vinegar water (or better yet run them through the dishwasher).
• Place jars on a tray in warmed oven and turn the heat off.
• Stone fruit and cut out any blemishes or bird damage.
• Weigh fruit and make a written note of the weight of prepared fruit.
• Place fruit in big pot with several cups of water, bring to boil and stir and watch to make sure none of the fruit catches or burns and that just a little liquid remains.
• Once the fruit has softened and become pulpy, turn off the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
• Add equal weight of sugar (from your note) to fruit and bring back up to the boil.
• Stir occasionally, making sure fruit is not sticking.
• It should take about twenty minutes or so but this will depend on how much water needs to be boiled off.
• When the jam is nearly ready the bubbles become thicker and when you stir into the corners there are little explosions of heat.
• Remove jam from heat and test for set by putting a little on a plate, allowing to cool and pushing your finger along the plate through the jam. The jam will set if it wrinkles when you do this.
• Taste for sweet sour balance. I added the juice of two lemons to a six kilo mix and it made the flavours sparkle. I imagine some fruit would need this and some wouldn't, so doing this step at the end makes sense to me.
• Allow to cool slightly before skimming, pouring into prepared jam jars and sealing with cellophane.
• Clean up and maybe shower away all the sugar and sweat, have a long cold drink and give yourself a big pat on the back.

Plum jam

We have a plum tree in our backyard. The plums are small, not that nice to eat, but they make the best jam. Especially if there is a fair percentage of under ripe fruit. This makes the jam very tangy, slightly sour. It also sets really well due to the high pectin content of the under ripe fruit . I think making jam is fairly easy, but I learnt as a child from my mother and grandmother.

Sometimes it doesn't go well, which can be blamed on the fruit or the weather or poor timing. My tips for success would be:

• Don't try to make too much at one time. 2 or 3 kilos of fruit at time, maximum.
• Make sure you have a big enough pan. The fruit and sugar should fill less than the bottom quarter of the pan.
• Plan ahead. Have ready jars, cellophane covers, scales and sugar.
• Child minding. I had someone else around to look after Grace during the critical bits. Hot sugar and toddlers do not mix. Although she was fascinated, close supervision was the order of the day.
• Do not attempt to do while you are doing something else. Jam making is not something that can be multi tasked.
• Help with de-stoning small fruit is good. If others like to eat the jam too, suggest that help with this task would be welcome. It took two of us about an hour to prepare the fruit. In good company, that goes quickly. On your own, it's a drag.
• Boiling sugar is hot. Use oven mitts or tea towells when moving the pan around. Wear sensible shoes.

You will need

2 to 3 kilos of plums
equal weight of white sugar (usually I prefer to cook with brown sugar, but I think jam works better with white sugar)
glass jars
cellophane covers and elastic bands
big preserving pan
scales

To make

• Wash jars well in hot soapy water. Rinse well in water with vinegar. Air dry. Preheat oven.
• Wash and dry fruit.
• Remove stones. Some people prefer to make this type of jam with the stones in and skim at the end. I prefer to remove the stones and know that I won't have any on my toast.
• Weigh fruit progressively as you complete stoning a bowlful. Weigh out the same weight of sugar and add to pan. Keep going until the pan is quarter full of fruit and sugar, you have stoned three kilos of fruit or you think you have enough. Mix well.
• Place jars on a tray in a warm oven, with heat turned off.
• Place pot of jam on medium to low heat and stir regularly. Make sure you scrape along the bottom of the pan and into the corners. Do not let the sugar catch on the bottom of the pan or burn. Ensure all the sugar is melted.
• Once all the sugar has melted, turn the heat up. Stir frequently. It will froth up and then die down again, after boiling for 10 or fifteen minutes. Skim. (I'm not a big skimmer, I don't mind a little froth in my jam.)
• Start testing for set by spreading a little jam on a plate. When it has cooled, run your finger through the jam. The surface should wrinkle. Plum jam usually takes about twenty minutes. Towards the end, I take the pan off the heat while testing for set.
• Once the jam is ready remove from heat and get your jars out of the oven.
• Ready your cellophane covers and a little dish of water or vinegar.
• Pour jam into jars. I use a gravy boat, filling the gavy boat with a ladle.Then tipping fairly neatly into the jars, which I have spaced out on a tray.
• Clean any spilled bits around the neck of the jar. Moisten cellophane with water or vinegar, place over jar and secure with an elastic band. I like to do this while the jam is still hot. This causes the covers to tighten and seal well.
• After the jam is cool, clean any spilt bits from the outside of the jars and label. I've called this one Early plum, 2006.
• If you have the jar lids, place loosely over the cellophane before storing.
• Jam made this way will last several years. We finished the 2002 batch earlier this year.

Lemon Butter

 
I like my lemon butter to hover on a knife edge between sweet and sour. I want a double take with each mouthful, followed by a smooth butteriness. It won't last long, it should be exciting!

The secret to nicely smooth lemon butter is to use a double boiler. I use a metal mixing bowl that fits snugly into the pasta pot half filled with gently boiling water. I still need to be careful not to let the mixture boil and curdle, but it's not as scary as cooking it directly on the stove.

You will need
three medium jars or an assortment of smaller jars
cellophane jam covers
4-7 lemons depending on size
6 eggs
350g white sugar
200g butter

To make

1. Wash and rinse jars well and place on a tray in a gentle oven to dry out.
2. Scrape the rind off the lemons using a vegetable peeler, trying to get as little pith as possible. Either chop the rind finely with a knife or place in a food processor with some of the sugar. 
3. Juice the lemons. 
4. Place the juice, sugar and rind in a saucepan and cook until the sugar has dissolved. Taste for acid/sugar balance. Adjust if necessary.
5. Add the butter and heat until butter melts. Strain and return to saucepan.
6. In the bowl you will be using atop the double boiler, whisk the eggs thoroughly. Slowly dribble the sugar/lemon/butter mixture in, whisking the whole time.
7. Place on top of double boiler and cook without boiling, stirring or whisking constantly. When the mixture has thickened so that it will thickly coat the back of a spoon, remove from heat.
8. Using a jug, pour into prepared jars and seal with wetted cellophane and elastic bands.