Jam Making

The weather wasn't so good last week so I went a bit mad on jam making - not really sure why - as I really don't eat that much jam.  But loved doing it, and kept me out of mischief.

A friend had some windfall apples that I went and collected, along with a few plums and damsons....so all of this jam has been made! 

I picked brambleberries from out the back, and made into jelly using a jelly bag, and then I made the jam - but sieved it as i can't be doing with all the pips in wild berries.

My true favourite is the fig jam, love it, and have been having some with cheese too.  I added just over half the weight of sugar to the figs, grated lemon zest and lemon juice.  I can't find the actual recipe I used now, it was a combination of a couple.  I cooked the chopped figs down slowly with the sugar and cooked for a while - 40 mins I think, I did use a potato masher.  The jam is what I would describe as a soft set.

and then I messed up the Tesco delivery adding 2 different sized boxes of strawberries - so I did this in the microwave, it has half and orange added also.  About a pound of strawberries and half of sugar, looked at various recipes and cooked for about 15 mins in 5 mins bursts, looks to be soft set too, I just used ordinary sugar and I know strawberries are hard to set.  This will be fine - won't keep for as long - will be fine with yoghurt or overnight porridge.

I did also make an apple crumble...not had one for years and that was delicious too, fancied custard with it, so used 250ml of milk 1 egg, a little sugar and vanilla, and also as I think it needed full milk or cream I added 2 teaspoons of cornflour.  Made with a whisk using in the microwave.

Heat milk in microwave, in one bowl and in another (I used a jug) everything else, add a little hot milk to rest and whisk and then add the rest, return to microwave for bursts with whisking in between. 

Finally I saw these coming up in the garden next door and as no one is living there at the moment I thought they would look nice with me rather than all on their own!