Double quick strawberry and rose jam

Homemade jam is one of those things I forget about. In our house, we usually make a batch because on the last day of our Suffolk holiday our foraging results in a heavy yield of what-can-we-do-with-these berries. Suddenly the urge to make jam takes over and there I am, mashing, stirring and sterilising. And then when it’s all done and the toast is ready, I remember just how good homemade jam is and vow to make it more regularly. This is quick smart jam for busy bees.

INGREDIENTS

400g strawberries, hulled

500g jam sugar

2 tablespoons rose water

15g salted butter, softened

METHOD

Sterilise your jam jars. I save jars throughout the year, squirrelling them away in boxes ready for when the preserving bug hits. You can either use a dishwasher to sterilise the jars, by washing the jars and the lids on its hottest setting, or you can do it in the oven by baking the jars and lids at 180°C for at least 20 minutes. Whichever method you use just remember to fill the jars whilst they are still hot. Pouring hot jam into cold jars can result in broken glass.

Put the strawberries into a large non-aluminium saucepan and crush with the back of a fork or a potato masher. You don’t want to be left with any large pieces. Pour the sugar over the fruit and add the rose water and butter. Heat gently and stir until all the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat so that the jam is boiling so vigorously that you can’t stir the bubbles away with a wooden spoon. Boil like this for 4 minutes then remove from the heat and carefully spoon into the still warm sterilised jars. Immediately screw the lid on to form a seal. This way, if the jar, lid and jam are all hot then a waxed disc isn’t necessary – though if you prefer to use them you’ll find them in the baking aisle.

Once cool make sure to write the name on a sticky label, otherwise you may clean forget what jam this is!

#normalmum #strawberries #rosewater #jam