My Creative Space..

... is a sticky one this week.

I have been making jam in preparation for the school fete.

Lets just say that every door and tile in the house is sticky.

This jam making business is a talent.  After hours and hours of stirring and still not setting I added jam setter (thankyou pectin in a bag)

My little helpers performed a quality test before I chopped up 2.5kgs worth.

And have been enjoying some on toast (so have I for that matter)

The Recipe:

Ingredients

• 2.5kg strawberries, hulled, halved
• 2.5kg white sugar (warmed)
• Juice from 1/2 a lemon

If you don't have the luxury of getting reject mutant strawberries from the strawberry farm, adjust the recipe to equal parts of sugar to water and a little lemon.

Method

1.  Wash and Slice (or quarter) Strawberries.  Place strawberries in a saucepan and stir through sugar. Leave for 1-2 hours while sugar softens the fruit.
2.  Add juice then cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fruit is soft.  Wash and Sterilize Jars.

3. Remove 1/3 of fruit. Set aside. Cook remaining mixture until fruit is mostly dissolved and jam sets on testing (see note).  Stir reserved fruit back into the pot and mix through to reheat. 

4.  Pour into jars and seal*

Note:  Place a few saucers in the freezer.  To check if jam will set, smooth a little hot jam over the saucer and leave for a few minutes. Test by pushing the jam a little.  If it is set it will scrunch up.  If not set stir on medium for a further 3 minutes.  Add Jam setter if in doubt (or have had enough stirring)  Don't be like yours truly and do it for 3 hours before deciding to add it as it was past her bedtime.

*this part is hot - be careful not to burn yourself.

For more creative spaces (and hopefully less sticky ones)  Pop over and say HI.