Summer Fruit Jam

Small batch: easy-peasy jars of homemade jam

When I published my last Substack on July 1st, I received a message from Amy, requesting clearer instructions for making my small batch jam. I am therefore writing this extra post detailing how I make my jars of summer fruit jam.

Before I start I would like to reference Vivien Lloyd and Miranda Gore-Browne, I attended a marmalade course they ran and it gave me greater confidence to make both marmalade and jams. (You can find them both on Instagram , they are really worth following).

However Marmalade and Jam are two different entities. The first requires a couple of days, there is copious cutting of peels, some time soaking, a few hours boiling before the addition of sugar. It is also a winter preserve as Seville Oranges, bitter (non eating) fruit from Southern Spain, which are the best citrus to make perfect Marmalade, are only available for a few weeks through January and the beginning of February.

Cherie Denham and Charlotte Pike also have superb jam and other preserve recipes in their lovely books. Again follow the links in their Instagram.

I used to come to France for the summer and buy 5km boxes of apricots, the jam was delicious, but rushed, I never really prepared the fruit properly as there was just so much of it. Then of course I had jars and jars to use up.

Now I prefer to buy a smaller quantity of fruit and prepare it without any pressure.

I tend to buy 600-700 grams of soft stoned fruit. I sit down, remove the stones or pips, cut up the fruit into small pieces and weigh it until I have 500grams prepared fruit.

This jam is simple to make, it doesn’t require a special preserving pan, or a jam thermometer (these can be useful if you decide to move onto larger batches of jam production). You don’t need a special stone removing device or a fruit peeler either, just a little time.

Equipment for making simple Summer Fruit Jam

A good sized saucepan

Accurate kitchen scales

Spoons (teaspoon, tablespoon, wooden spoon)

3 jam jars with lids (spotlessly clean and sterilised)

A good knife and chopping board

Several saucers - place in the freezer before you begin making your jam

NB I have made these jams with Strawberries, Cherries and Apricots this year, other fruits may vary, I am planning to make a small batch of both greengage and mirabelle jams, when the plums are available in late summer, I will let you know how they work.

*I usually start heating the fruit and sugar about 10 minutes before the dishwasher cycle is complete, as it’s important that hot jam should go into hot jam jars!

**Summer fruit jam is delicious, it distills the essence of the fruit, I think it’s best eaten within six months, though it will keep for a year.

Don’t forget to label your jars, little batches of different fruit jams can look similar.

If you are foraging over the next month or two, I have added my Wild Blackberry and Apple Jam recipe. This is a favourite taste of my childhood, my mother made it every year. We all scrambled around brambling, she would start making the jam when we got home and we would eat some on buttered scones at teatime the following day. (You could half the recipe to make a small batch!)

I use Le Parfait jars, they are readily found in French supermarkets and online in the UK. It is easy to purchase spare lids, which have the bonus of fitting Bonne Maman jars, which ensures they can be used again and again.

I hope this has been helpful.

Happy Summer Fruit Jam making.

Judith xx