Yesterday my friend Alison and I spent the whole afternoon foraging the village bridleways and footpaths for blackberries and elderberries - my hands are a bit shreddy. We spent a few relaxing hours in her kitchen making apple and elderberry jam and a very fragrant plum and chilli sauce (the plums and apples were also picked locally (scrumped!) a few days before).
Our jam jar order didn't arrive, so I'm winging it with whatever random receptacles I can find in the kitchen. If you get your pot of Summer in an old coffee jar don't be surprised.
Seedless Blackberry, Vanilla & Rosewater Jelly
Makes approx 4 medium jars
This is a bit of faff, but well worth it I think
1kg Blackberries
1/2 vanilla pod
500 grams preserving/jam sugar
3 tablespoons rosewater (entirely optional, or just add a bit extra water instead)
100ml water
Juice of 1 lemon
Wash and drain the berries and place in a large pan or maslin
Add the lemon juice, water, vanilla pod and rosewater
Heat slowly and simmer until the fruit is soft
Either mash or blend the fruit (I use a handheld blender) until you have a thick porridgey consistency
Now push the fruit through a sieve with a big spoon to get all the lovely juices
You should now have approximately half the amount in weight of fruit puree
Discard the sieved pulp (but wash and dry your vanilla pod and put it in a jar of caster sugar - vanilla sugar is lovely for cakes)
Place back in the pan/maslin and add the sugar. Bring slowly to the boil and check for setting point on chilled saucers. Once the jam wrinkles on the cold plate it is ready to jar. Make sure your jars are hot before adding the very hot jam! or they will crack. Put lids on straight away and leave to cool.
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