Seasonal, Easy and Heavenly Gooseberry Jam | Permaculture Magazine
Ingredients
4 lbs (1.8 kg) gooseberries
1.7 pints (1 litre) water
6 lbs (2.7 kg) sugar
Method
Top and tail the gooseberries. Put the fruit and water into a
preserving pan or a big saucepan with a heavy base. Be careful not to
add too much water. If your fruit is ripe, add less. Bring to the boil
and simmer gently until the skins are soft. Then add the sugar slowly on
a low heat, allowing it to dissolve. Be careful not to put it all in at
once and boil before the sugar has dissolved as it may crystallise
during storage. Once dissolved, bring the jam to a rapid but steady boil
and boil until it reaches a temperature of between 105°C and 110°C.
This should take about 15 minutes unless you have added too much water.
Wash some jam jars in hot soapy water and rinse well. You can put them into a preheated oven at 160°C/fan140°C/gas 3 until you
are ready to use them but I never bother. I just make sure they are very clean.
I own an old brass kitchen thermometer and along with my preserving
pan, it is a treasured possession given to me by my mother-in-law. I
suggest you see if an elderly relative has one surplus to requirement or
seek one out at a car boot sales. I find it invaluable for wine and jam
making. It tells me exactly when I have reached setting temperature.
If you don't have one you can do a wrinkle test. Place a saucer in
the freezer when you start the jam. Take a teaspoon of the jam and put
it on the saucer. Let it go cold. Then push it across the plate with
your finger. If it is ready it will wrinkle up. If not, keep on boiling
the jam mixture for a few more minutes.
Once you have set the jam take it off the heat and let it sit for a
while so that it stops boiling. Then ladle it into jars. Again, I have a
special funnel which saves a lot of mess and makes ladling a quick and
clean process.
Leave to cool. Label. Enjoy!
GOOSEBERRY WINE
