It's a long time since I made Apricot Jam...
My friend Bulelwa asked me how to make jam...
I thought to invite her over,
but she's getting ready to deliver her baby,
and it's not one process from beginning to end...
So here goes.
So here goes.
I'm rusty... I think I last made it in 2015, from the dates on the bottles.
So, here's how I make it, so I can remember,
and so I can permanently share with her how I do it.
(I remembered I actually have a book...
I got it out after I'd made the jam...
I see I got this book in 1972.
25c!!!)
And here's the page for jams...
With my former notes.
So, not remembering how much fruit would make how much jam...
(I hadn't got my book out yet...)
Equal weights of fruit and sugar.
That much I remembered.
Cover the fruit with the sugar.
Let it stand for... I left mine for about 18 hours.
Last night as we were going to bed,
to today lunch-time.
Blend the fruit and sugar.
I started with my stick blender.
Then got out my jug blender.
A much easier result with my jug blender.
I put the oven on to 110C
and put more bottles than I thought I'd need in the oven to heat up.
(I usually put in several size bottles too.)
Slow heat to start and gradually increasing.
I started on 3 on my stove, then 6, 9 and 11 out of 14.
The jam is foamy and watery to begin with.
The pegs on the pot help the spoon to not slide down between stirring.
I used a big pot because I couldn't remember how much it would bubble up.
The advantage of the big pot - larger heat surface.
The disadvantage, heavier to handle when pouring.
As the jam thickened the foam disappeared.
Watch.
Stir regularly all across the base of the pot so it doesn't "catch."
As it thickens stir all the time.
This below is my test plate.
Drop a drop on every now and then.
When the drop holds its shape as it cools, it's ready to bottle.
From start of boil to bottling about 50 minutes.
Take the jam off the stove to cool slightly, not bubbling any more.
Take a bottle out of the oven.
Careful, the bottles are very hot.
I have a cut-off funnel for bottling.
It keeps the rim of the bottle clean.
(You can buy such funnels, I just cut an ordinary one.
I've had mine for many years.
I use it for all sorts of things.)
I also keep a tricky-dicky handy for handling the bottle.
(I wonder if they still make them???)
I have 2 actually, in case I need them.
I suppose you could use a damp cloth?
When the bottle is full,
I use one tricky dicky to hold the bottle,
and the other to hold the lid.
I do a quick twist, twisting the lid on tight.
Actually, you can often just hold the bottle with the tricky dicky,
and the lid with your other hand.
(I don't heat my lids.
I just make sure they are sterile.)
If you heat your lids, you'll need two tricky dickys or such I think.
And there the two bottles are cooling on the cork mat.
As they cool, the lid will tighten.
And the little left-over.
Which Glenn and I enjoyed immediately!
