Strawberry & Elderflower Jam
Servings: 100 tablespoons
This strawberry elderflower jam will be a staple in your larder.
INGREDIENTS LIST
- 2.5 kg fresh strawberries
- 1 kg caster sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract or 1/2 tsp of vanilla paste
- 20 heads elderflower
Preparation
- Strawberries: Wash and cut the strawberries in half into a large saucepan.
- Using your hand or a potato masher, squish and crush them so they release their juices.
- Mix in the sugar and the vanilla.
- Elderflowers: Check that the elderflowers are completely free from any small bugs and place them into a cheese cloth, tie a string around it to create a small parcel and place it in the strawberry mix.If you don't have a cheese cloth then you can add them directly to the strawberry mix ensuring they are pressed down under the liquid.
- Cover the pan and place in the fridge overnight to allow time for the elderflower to flavour the strawberries.
- Day 2: Remove the pan from the fridge and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil for 5 minutes.
- Now remove the elderflowers from the pan and continue to boil, stirring often.
- Jar preparation: Wash thoroughly enough jars for 1.8-2 kg (3.3-4.4 lbs) of jam.I personally like to place my jars in the oven at 130°C fan / 265F / Gas 1/2 for 30 minutes to sterilise them. If you prefer to use a different method please do. The important thing is to put the delicious jam into sterilised jars.
- Testing jam: If you have a thermometer, check after 45-60 minutes to see if the mixture has reached 105°C / 220°F. Retest every 10-15 minutes.If you don't have a thermometer you can place 3 small plates in the freezer to check the consistency. After 45-60 minutes take a teaspoon of the boiling jam and place it on one of the cold plates, place it back in the freezer for a minute. Then remove and push your finger through the jam, if the jam leaves a trail then it is ready. Otherwise retest every 10-15 minutes until your finger creates a trail through the jam.
- Jar filling: Transfer the strawberry jam into the hot sterile jars, leaving 1/2 cm (1/4 inch) of space at the top, and seal with a lid.Turn the jars upside down and leave for an extra 5 minutes once you have finished packing and sealing all of them.
- Full sterilisation: To ensure the jars are fully sterile, I place an open towel or blanket into a container, which I then place all the jars (right way up) into. Tuck the towel over and around the jars and leave until the jars have cooled completely.
