Blackcurrant jam

Summer

There’s a brilliant film called Hope and Glory that my brother and I used to watch a lot as kids. It’s about the trials of a family living in London during World War II. The film’s full of wonderfully funny scenes, as well as those both sensitive and dark. My favourite bit is when the family opens a tin of German jam that the father has brought back to England. I like the way he opens the tin; I like the way the jam looks and the sound of the spoon on his teeth as he demonstrates ‘the jam is not poisoned’; and I love the way everyone’s suspicions are alleviated when they taste how delicious the jam really is. This is the jam my mum made, and her mum before her. And that’s what’s so good about jam – time doesn’t change it, and it’s the same the world over.

Makes 6–8 jars

Ingredients

1kg (2lb 4oz) blackcurrants
1.5kg (3lb 5oz) golden granulated sugar

Method

Carefully pick over the fruit, removing the stalks and loose leaves. I don’t tend to worry about the papery dried flower at the tip of the currant, unless it’s really obvious. Place the currants into a large heavy-based pan or a preserving pan with 500ml (17fl oz) water. Set the pan over a medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring once or twice. Cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the fruit is soft and the skins tender, but the currants retain a little shape.

Add the sugar to the pan and stir until it has dissolved, about 4–5 minutes. Turn up the heat and bring the jam to a rolling boil, allowing it to boil for 4–6 minutes. Remove the jam from the heat, then stir for a minute or so to help it cool. Now test the jam for setting point. Just spoon a few drops of jam onto a very cold saucer. Once the jam has cooled, push the surface with your finger, if it wrinkles, then it has reached setting point. Alternatively, use a sugar thermometer to check that the jam reaches 105°C (220°F).

Let the jam cool for a while before you jar it up (if it’s too hot the fruit may float to the surface). Ladle the jam into warm, sterilized jars (you can sterilize them by running them through your dishwasher on its highest setting), and seal straight away. Store in a cool, dry place.

Back to Membership