Homemade Elderberry Jam Recipe

 

Overpowering fragrance of elderflowers is announcing forthcoming spring and when the flowers are changed into black fruits we know the autumn is just round the corner. Elderberries can be gathered in the wild during autumn. They are low in pectin and need lemon juice to help them set.

If you go picking, you should wear old long sleeve shirt, a hat, and jeans or trousers because these fruits will ruin your clothes. Also make sure you bring a plastic bag, otherwise juice from the fragile berries that will constantly get crushed will drip through and stain your clothes. Also it is a good idea to bring clippers.

With our elderberry jam recipe you can easily make this delicious jam at home. Believe me, this jam is very different from those you can find in supermarkets. Tastes better, is more intense and you simply know what you put inside. I hope you will be able easily make your own jam following this elderberry jam recipe. Here is how:

First sterilize your jars. Then gently wash the fruit thorughly by dipping it in a sink of cold water. Wash one small cluster at a time this is also a good way to remove any eight-legged friends hidden in the fruit. Pull gently the berries off their stems and put in a saucepan. Use only berries that are completely black or blue. Crush berries with a potato masher to release some of the juices. Turn the heat to medium and continue to squash as the mix heats up to a boiling temperature. When it reaches the boiling point, reduce the heat and let it gently simmer for about ten minutes. After ten minutes remove from heat. Add sugar and juice from 1 lemon ( 2 tablespoon lemon juice).

Heat slowly, stirring gently sometimes, till the sugar has melted, then heat up the juice and quickly bring to the boil. Boil vigorously, stir often, till the temperature reaches setting point of the jam to 106°C. Is handy to check to exact temperature with special thermometer. If you do not have such device, just put a few small saucers into the freezer and after roughly 10 minutes, with your spoon put a blob onto a cold saucer. Leave it there for 10–15 seconds, then test the surface with your finger. A gentle push does the job. If it has created a skin and there are visible small wrinkles after you tested it with your finger tip, it has definitely reached his setting point. The jam is very hot, so be careful. It could burn your finger while you’re pushing jam around a saucer.

Before you’re doing this test take the jam off the heat just in case to prevent burning.

Remove the jelly from the heat as soon as setting point is reached. Skim off any layer of froth from the surface and pour your warm jam into the prepared hot, sterilised glass jam jars. Cover with a disc of waxed paper with wax-side down. Press out any trapped air bubbles from the jam. Clean and wipe the rim of the jar with a wet cloth. Wipe cellophane jam pot covers with a damp cloth, then tightly cover the jars. The covering discs will contract and tighten as they dry, creating an airtight cover. Label and store in a dark, cool place.

Also you can try to add pieces of apples and boil them with the berries. It adds nice sour taste.

Find our other elder related recipes:
Elderberry cordial
Elderflower cordial