For ‘green’ gooseberry jam you have to use very firm, slightly under-ripe fruit. Here we used a mixture of mostly green ‘cooking gooseberries’ with a few red dessert ones, which gives it a rich, red colour.
Ingredients
- 900g gooseberries, topped and tailed
- 900g-1kg granulated sugar
- 600ml water
Method
- 1. To every 450g prepared fruit use 300ml water. The riper the fruit, the less water you will need. Put the fruit and water into a large, heavy-based saucepan. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently until the skins are soft – they will not soften after the sugar has been added.
- 2. Use 450g-550g granulated sugar per 450g of fruit – use the larger amount for under-ripe fruit. Add the sugar and stir over a low heat until it has dissolved completely. If you boil the jam before it has dissolved, it may crystallise during storage. Bring the jam to a rapid but steady boil and boil until it reaches a temperature of between 105°C and 110°C.
- 3. Meanwhile, wash some jam jars in hot soapy water, then rinse well. Put them into a preheated oven at 160°C/fan140°C/gas 3 until you are ready to use them.
- 4. Do the ‘wrinkle test’ to see if you have reached setting point. It should happen after about 15 minutes or so of boiling, and your jam should by now have become slightly more viscous and clear. Have a saucer ready in the freezer. Take the pan off the heat, spoon a little jam onto the plate and leave until completely cold. Then push it across the plate with your forefinger. It should wrinkle up if it’s ready. If it only slightly wrinkles, bring back to the boil and boil for a few more minutes.
- 5. Discard any scum from the top of the jam and pour it into the prepared jars, using a jam funnel. Cover the surface of the jam with waxed discs, wax-side down, and either quickly cover each jar with a dampened round of cellophane and rubber band or leave to go cold before covering with cellophane or a screw-top lid. Sealing the jars well will prevent the build up of condensation under the lid, which could lead to mould.
Chef's tip
You will need some empty (and clean) jam jars with waxed discs and rubber bands. The riper the fruit, the pinker your jam will become. Delicious with scones and clotted cream.