Recipes

It seems as though many families make the most of the in-season fruits and berries by buying bulk and canning / making jams / anything else you can do with fruit. Yesterday I was very intrigued to help and learn how to make blackberry jam and can peaches.

 

 

Recipe for Blackberry Freezer Jam

Recipe adapted from Bernardin Pectin box

Makes about 5 x 250 ml jars.

 

1½ cups sugar

45 g Freezer Jam Pectin

4 cups blackberries (washed and crushed)

Sanitized jam jars

 

Tip: For less seeds, press some of the blackberries through a sieve.

Combine pectin and sugar until well blended. Add fruit mixture and stir well.

Ladle jam into jars, leaving 1 cm space on top. Wipe jar rims removing any residue. Apply lids tightly. Allow to stand until thickened, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks, freeze up to 1 year, or serve right away.

 

 

Recipe for canning peaches (tinned peaches, in SA terminology J)

 

About 30 ripe peaches

1 ¼ cups white sugar

3 cups water

6 glass quart jars (1 litre each)

Water for blanching and processing

 

Sanitise the jars in boiling water for 10 minutes. Keep lids hot until used.

To make the light syrup, boil the water and dissolve the sugar completely. Once fully dissolved, keep it hot, but not boiling.

To remove the peach skins, blanch them by placing them in boiling water for about a minute. Immediately transfer them to a basin of ice water (including ice cubes!). Pull the skin off. Remove the pip and any bruised spots, and slice (halves or slices).

Tightly pack the peaches into sanitized jars. Cover with the hot syrup, leaving 1.5cm space at the top. Use a rubber spatula to remove air bubbles. Do not use a metal implement, as a scratch may weaken the glass and cause it to crack during processing.

You can sprinkle ½ teaspoon Ascorbic acid on top before sealing, to prevent fruit from browning.

Wipe rim and with a clean damp cloth. Add lid, screw band and tighten firmly. Do not over tighten.

 

To process the jars

Place the sealed jars in a huge pot of boiling water, covering them with at least 2,5cm water. Boil covered for 20-30 minutes (more if you are above sea level).

Remove and cool sealed jars overnight in a draft-free area.