Method:
- Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6/200˚C/fan180˚C/400˚F. Put the berries into a heatproof dish, do the same with the sugar and place both dishes in the oven for 20-30 mins. The berries should still have shape – check after 20 mins. The fruit and sugar should be very hot.
- Very carefully combine the hot sugar and hot berries and lemon juice; stir together. The berries will dissolve with the sugar, creating instant jam. Ladle into sterilised jam jars and seal.
- This will keep in the fridge for a few weeks only.
Cook's tips for making jams, jellies and marmalades:
- Use dry, unblemished and not overripe fruit. Jam sugar is specified for some recipes – this is sugar with added citric acid and aids the setting of jam when using fruit with little natural setting agent (pectin), such as strawberries.
- All equipment must be scrupulously clean. First of all your jars and lids must be sterilised. If you have a dishwasher, put them through a high heat cycle (or wash and rinse them well in hot water) then place them on a baking tray and slide into a hot oven (gas mark 3/160˚C/fan 140˚C/325˚F) for 10-15 mins. Keep them warm until you pour in the jam. Always seal jams etc while hot.
- Use as little water as possible and cover the fruit with a tightly fitting lid.
- Skim scum frequently while the jam is boiling or add a small knob of butter to disperse it.
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