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This is an excellent jam,
easy to make, tastes fantastic with a rich colour.
The fruit bushes are easy to grow and prolific fruit
producers. I grow Wellington XXX and Ben Lomand available
locally from Sussex
Country Gardens or Perryhill
Nurseries.
To yield about 10lbs (4.5kg) of jam:
- 4lb (1.8 kg.) black currants
- 3 pints (1.7 litres) water
- 6lb. (2.7 kg.) sugar
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When picking or buying the black currants, make sure they
are firm, ripe and a good, dark colour. Too many under-ripe
currants will detract from the flavour
and colour of the jam.
Wash the black currants, removing stalks and any leaves. I
put them in a bowl of cold water, which helps separate the
creepy crawlies, leaves and highlights any imperfect fruit.
Drain through a sieve or colander.
Next, place
the fruit in a large heavy-based or preserving pan and
cover with the cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for
30-35
minutes,
until
the
fruit
is tender. Stir occasionally as the pulp thickens. Meanwhile,
put the sugar in an ovenproof bowl and place in the middle
of the pre-heated oven to warm through for 10-15 minutes. This
really helps the sugar to dissolve more easily in the next stage.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the warmed sugar
until dissolved. Then boil again and cook rapidly until
the setting point is reached (Click
here for details).
Blackcurrants are rich in pectin, so the jam will set easily
making this
a
good
jam for beginners. Skim off anything you don't like the look
of, then pot and seal (Click here for
details).
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