I picked some bramble berry things. What next?

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Jam? How easy is jam?

I could make some muffins but I don't like berry muffins and wouldn't I need to get all the spiders out first?

Jam sounds good (even though I am not keen on it). How do you make jam then?

 

[Pip]

Jam? How easy is jam?

I could make some muffins but I don't like berry muffins and wouldn't I need to get all the spiders out first?

Jam sounds good (even though I am not keen on it). How do you make jam then?

You might need some jam sugar, but it's easy to get hold of. I'm pretty sure Sainsburys in Clapham sell it, so probably most big supermarkets do. Btw the pectin makes it set, so if you don't mind runny jam it's not vital.
How much fruit have you got? It's roughly half the weight of sugar to fruit (so if you've got a kilo of fruit, you need 500g sugar), plus some water.

Edit: probably the biggest hassle of making jam is collecting and sterilising the jars. Have you got jars?

 

[Pip]

PS I looked at a recipe that suggests equal amounts of sugar and fruit. My way (I think) makes nicer jam, but it might not keep as long or something.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

For bramble jam, just rinsing the berries is enough, water-wise. Personally I'd make a blackberry and apple crumble or pie and freeze the rest.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

PS I looked at a recipe that suggests equal amounts of sugar and fruit. My way (I think) makes nicer jam, but it might not keep as long or something.

In sterilised jars, and once opened putting it in the fridge, is fine.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

How do I sterilize the jars? Can I just boil them?

Why do I need special sugar?

How do you make Jam?

What about the lumpy bits? Do I have to take them all out by hand?

 

[weepiper]

sterilise jars by washing them in hot soapy water, rinse, then put them in a low oven to dry off. You need to put jam into hot jars so they don't crack and stay sterile.

because if you don't use jam sugar it won't set so well (it's got pectin in it)

google a recipe for bramble jam

you can pour/press it through a sieve if you don't want the lumps.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

sterilise jars by washing them in hot soapy water, rinse, then put them in a low oven to dry off. You need to put jam into hot jars so they don't crack and stay sterile.

Uh huh uh huh. *nods*

because if you don't use jam sugar it won't set so well (it's got pectin in it)

Phooey to that, I'm not buying some special sugar. I don't buy it for cakes or biscuits so I don't see why jam should get any special treatment.

google a recipe for bramble jam

Whats a google?

you can pour/press it through a sieve if you don't want the lumps.

Ah ha, I already have them in a sieve so that should be easy.

What about the spiders and stuff? Does that matter?

Can you mix it with chocolate for a sort of fruit and chocolate jam?

 

[Saffy]

Put an apple in with the mixture if you don't want to use shop bought pectin.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Put an apple in with the mixture if you don't want to use shop bought pectin.

Sounds good. Does it have to be an apple? I don't have any.

 

[weepiper]

Uh huh uh huh. *nods*


Phooey to that, I'm not buying some special sugar. I don't buy it for cakes or biscuits so I don't see why jam should get any special treatment.

Ok. enjoy your gloopy bramble syrup then.

Can you mix it with chocolate for a sort of fruit and chocolate jam?

you could try... but I think it'll be vile

 

[Pip]

Put an apple in with the mixture if you don't want to use shop bought pectin.

And apple and blackberries go well together

Erm, AS, there's nothing stopping you from putting chocolate in, but it would be rank. You have to boil the jam for a bit, so the chocolate would burn and go powdery, and I'm not convinced chocolate and jam are really that great together.

 

[Pip]

Sounds good. Does it have to be an apple? I don't have any.

Are you on a troll?

 

[FabricLiveBaby!]

I'd allow the jam and make and apple and brambleberry crumble.

with custard.

 

[Pip]

Btw u lot, next time you're making a crumble, crumble a crunchie into the topping (or make your own for extra fun). It's especally good with rhubarb

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Ok. enjoy your gloopy bramble syrup then.




:

Did a google, apparently pectin is already in the fruit, but it's better if you have a few not so ripe berries (aw nuts). I haven't seen a recipe yet that asks for anything other than caster sugar.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I'm not convinced chocolate and jam are really that great together.

Fruit and nut bars are nice.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Are you on a troll?

It was a serious question. I have other fruits.

 

[Pip]

Did a google, apparently pectin is already in the fruit, but it's better if you have a few not so ripe berries (aw nuts). I haven't seen a recipe yet that asks for anything other than caster sugar.

Maybe they ask for powdered pectin?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Maybe they ask for powdered pectin?

Nope

Fruits such as blackcurrants, redcurrants, gooseberries, and cooking apples have high levels of pectin and so will set well.

 

[Pip]

Nope

Okay, well follow one of those recipes then, and add all the chocolate your little heart desires.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Lemon juice also does the job apparently.

I'm off to have a go now but all the serializing sounds like a terrible bore.

 

[Pip]

You can run them through a hot dishwasher if you've got one.

Btw with things like this, looking at a recipe or advice and then going "nah I'm not going to do that" usually means whatever you're doing is going to go tits up. Just saying.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

You can run them through a hot dishwasher if you've got one.

Btw with things like this, looking at a recipe or advice and then going "nah I'm not going to do that" usually means whatever you're doing is going to go tits up. Just saying.

I don't have a dish washer unfortunately. Oddly I did have one in my last house but my new much much bigger house didn't have room in the kitchen for one so I had to sell it.

I'm only not going to bother going to the shops for special sugar. Of course I will sterilize, it just looks really boring.

Recipe wise - I rarely follow any recipes for anything. The only thing in recent history that springs to mind that was a disaster was my daughters cake.
http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=298066&highlight=cake+suplex

 

[weepiper]

Nope

but you said you've got brambles

do you mean blackcurrants?

bramble jam recipe here:

Blackberries are low in the setting agent pectin so adding a few unripe red berries and lemon juice helps in the setting process but try as you might, blackberry jam never sets hard.

Prep: 10 min

Cook: 30 min

1.3kg ripe blackberries plus a few red fruit to help the setting

Juice of 2 lemons

1.8kg sugar

No water

Place the berries and lemon juice in a pan and simmer very gently until soft. Meanwhile, place the sugar in ceramic mixing bowl and warm in the oven. Tip the warmed sugar into the soft fruit and stir until dissolved. Bring slowly to the boil and boil for 5-8 minutes, or until setting point is reached. To check setting point, spoon a little jam onto a saucer. Tip to one side, it should be noticeably thick and wrinkle when pressed. Pot immediately in warmed jars.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

If you like chocolatey fruit bars, make bramble flapjacks (dead easy) and put choc on the top. Just find a flapjack recipe and add the berries and choc.

 

[Pip]

I don't have a dish washer unfortunately. Oddly I did have one in my last house but my new much much bigger house didn't have room in the kitchen for one so I had to sell it.

I'm only not going to bother going to the shops for special sugar. Of course I will sterilize, it just looks really boring.

Recipe wise - I rarely follow any recipes for anything. The only thing in recent history that springs to mind that was a disaster was my daughters cake.
http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=298066&highlight=cake+suplex

Why ask at all if you're just going to argue about the methods people suggest, and make a point of not following them? Why not just chuck it all in a big pan and go "woo yeah crazy I'm a renegade ahah no recipe for me wooo yeah I'm so wacky" and see what happens?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

but you said you've got brambles

.

Yeah those ones

 

[the button]

I'd eat them with some icecream. Simple.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I'm soooo tempted to change A S's tagline to 'inedible bramble sludge'.

*sits on hands and waits for temptation to pass*