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Pump up the jam: tips for making your own preserves

***Rachel Khoo would like to thank all the inspiring people who helped make the Khoollect studio a hive of creativity. Although the Khoollect studio’s doors have now closed, you can keep up with Rachel’s newest adventures on RachelKhoo.com and on Rachel’s Instagram and Facebook pages – and, continue to enjoy the Khoollect website’s stories and recipes, which will remain available.***

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Whether you’re creating thoughtful gifts for loved ones, beginning a new hobby, or making use of the season’s best fruits, cooking jam is an experiment that even the novice home cook can enjoy.

An expert in the art of making jams, Lillie O’Brien of London Borough of Jam, shares her tips for creating the perfect preserves:

Pick prime ingredients

Choose the best quality ingredients and only when they are in season.

Reduce waste

It’s okay to freeze some fruit if you have an abundance … it will loose some of its natural pectin, but if the fruit is tip-top quality it won’t matter.

Equip yourself

Always use a heavy-based pot to cook the jam in. If you don’t have a copper jam pan, a Le Creuset is perfect. The wider the surface area the better, as it will boil quicker. Also, a metal funnel with an extra large hole will help with pouring the jam into hot, sterilised jars.

Avoid additives

Try to work around the natural pectin found in fruit, rather than adding any commercially bought ones. You can always make an apple stock pectin base with Bramley apples if you want a firmer set.

Keep it clean

I rinse all my jars and leave in an oven on 100 degrees (Celsius) for 10 minutes to sterilise. I boil my lids in water on the stove top.

Less is more

The longer you cook a jam the higher the sugar content will be, because the liquid in the fruit will evaporate and the sugar levels won’t. It’s best to add less and you can always add more.

 

Let's jam!

Prepped to preserve? We want to know how you go. Chat to us on the forum, or comment below with your jam-making stories.

Want to know more about Lillie’s London Borough of Jam? Read our conversation with the jam-maker.

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars
(No Ratings Yet)
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Let's jam!

Prepped to preserve? We want to know how you go. Chat to us on the forum, or comment below with your jam-making stories.

Want to know more about Lillie’s London Borough of Jam? Read our conversation with the jam-maker.

Let's jam!

Prepped to preserve? We want to know how you go. Chat to us on the forum, or comment below with your jam-making stories.

Want to know more about Lillie’s London Borough of Jam? Read our conversation with the jam-maker.

Whether you’re creating thoughtful gifts for loved ones, beginning a new hobby, or making use of the season’s best fruits, cooking jam is an experiment that even the novice home cook can enjoy.

An expert in the art of making jams, Lillie O’Brien of London Borough of Jam, shares her tips for creating the perfect preserves:

Pick prime ingredients

Choose the best quality ingredients and only when they are in season.

Reduce waste

It’s okay to freeze some fruit if you have an abundance … it will loose some of its natural pectin, but if the fruit is tip-top quality it won’t matter.

Equip yourself

Always use a heavy-based pot to cook the jam in. If you don’t have a copper jam pan, a Le Creuset is perfect. The wider the surface area the better, as it will boil quicker. Also, a metal funnel with an extra large hole will help with pouring the jam into hot, sterilised jars.

Avoid additives

Try to work around the natural pectin found in fruit, rather than adding any commercially bought ones. You can always make an apple stock pectin base with Bramley apples if you want a firmer set.

Keep it clean

I rinse all my jars and leave in an oven on 100 degrees (Celsius) for 10 minutes to sterilise. I boil my lids in water on the stove top.

Less is more

The longer you cook a jam the higher the sugar content will be, because the liquid in the fruit will evaporate and the sugar levels won’t. It’s best to add less and you can always add more.

 

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Sonya Gellert

Sonya Gellert is a contributing writer and associate editor for Khoollect. She lives in Sydney....

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Sonya Gellert is a contributing writer and associate editor for Khoollect. She lives in Sydney....

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WRITTEN BY:
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Sonya Gellert is a contributing writer and associate editor for Khoollect. She lives in Sydney....

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With over 30 delicious recipes, this e-cookbook showcases wonderful new ways to cook with cocoa. This is not just a dessert book; within you'll find a whole range of recipes for every occasion from a decadent chocolate tahini caramel torte, to a confit cocoa cod with lemony white chocolate sauce. These recipes are featured in Rachel Khoo's Chocolate TV show.

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