Blackberries

Ok...I've been out and picked 1.5 kilos of them. I want to make jam now...any tried and tested recipes you good folks can recommend?

 

Do you know the best way to make sure there are no little grubs in them :cnfs:

Spread them out onto baking trays and lay on top of the freezer space (inside) for a hour or two and as the cold starts to bite the little beggars try to get away :o

 

I wish that I could help you, but I saw the word 'Blackberries' and I just had to look. I could do with knowing how to make a strong tasting jam without having to add tons of sugar to the mix, anyone?

 

You need the sugar really with jam in order to preserve it. You can use half honey and half sugar for a different taste. Is it a taste thing or a calories thing? If it's the latter, you could just have a bit less toast...or do a bit more gardening first so you have earnt the calories?

Aaron, Re recipes! You can't go far wrong with jam, lots of recipes online and in books, but I love blackberry and apple. It sort of helps to thin out the number of seeds!

 

That's a good trick. I didn't know that one. My technique is to soak them in a large bowl of water for an hour or so, and all the creatures float up to the surface, but with my way the fruit goes a bit soft and half the flavour is lost when you pour the water away.

 

I don't think you need to leave them for an hour, I just swish them around in a bowl and pour off the bugs - and some "chaff" (well, that's for Raspberries, but same deal I think?)

 

Try leaving a batch for just one hour and I think you'll be (un)pleasantly surprised by how much extra fauna comes out