Homemade Jam

Love is sweet. Like jam. With scones and cream. Yes, this may be what love tastes like. While summer is still in full swing, get the last cartons of already somewhat mushy strawberries, pick the rasp- and blackberries from your grand/parents garden and some jam. This is the best and easiest was to store summer in mason jars. And when the jam is done, you whip up a fresh batch of scones, get out your clotted cream and you will taste love. And summer. Now, how much better can it get?

Ingredients
800g fruit of your choice
265g – 400g jam sugar
vanilla, lemon, lemon basil, …

See? So easy! You just need jam sugar and you are good to go (if you were wandering, jam sugar is vegetarian, it function with pectin not gelatin)! I like jam sugar that is at the rate of 1:2 or even 1:3, that means for 200g fruit you’ll need either about 100g or 67g sugar. It will still be sweet, but fresh and fruity and I find that the color gets prettier this way too! Choose your fruit. I like classic berries and then adding a little twist with some additional flavors, like lemon zest, vanilla or even lemon basil. Maybe you are much more adventurous and you want to try peppercorns, lavender, thyme, champagne..whatever your heart desires. My heart desired more pure flavors at the moment. 

Clean your fruit and put them in a pan, with some lemon juice, the right ratio of the jam sugar and the additional flavors you imagined. Mush them a little with a fork or a masher. Bring all of it to a briskly boil for at least 3 minutes. Then pour it into a clean mason jar, which you had, with lid and all, in a pan of boiling water on the stove next to your jam.

  

Close the lid, without touching its inside and without burning your fingers, and let cool upside down for 3 minutes. Turn and leave until completely cool. Serve with clotted cream or cream cheese and a fresh batch of scones (recipe will follow) or stir into your yoghurt. The options for the taste of summer and love are endless!