The Archers at The Larches: Recipes

Ingredients (Makes approximately 3 jam jars)

1kg of washed Damsons (or any fruit you prefer)

.5kg of washed Cooking Apples (chopped, unpeeled, uncored, as they come... easy eh?)

500ml of water

1kg - 1.5k Granulated Sugar depending on how sweet you like it.

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Method

Ensure you have the correct number of jam jars washed and sterilized. While I make my jam I usually keep my clean jars, but not the lids, in the oven at a warm, not hot, temperature.

In a jam pot or stockpot heat the first three ingredients, stirring occasionally.

Add the sugar, again stirring occasionally. Cook till all the fruit breaks down and the stones of the damsons begin to appear on the surface of the mixture. Take care to monitor the heat so it doesn't boil over.

To release as many stones as possible, mash the mixture with a hand potato masher.

Skimming off the damson stones can be a fiddly operation so instead of individually removing them as they rise to the surface, just use a large soup ladle and a colander and sieve the entire contents. Take care not to splash - it's hot! This will leave you with a runny fruit sauce.

Fill your jars as full as possible with this mixture, pop on a waxed disk, seal and allow to cool before slapping on a label. Store in a cool, dark place.

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RECIPE:You will need: A muslin or jelly bag for straining and 3 small sterilised jars.
Keeps for 9 months.

675g (1.5lb) sour cooking apples with skin on, roughly chopped
Approx 454g (1lb) granulated sugar per pint of juice added at stage II of the process
Juice (and zest if using) of 1 lemon
1-2 tsp of dried chilli flakes

Put chopped apples, including cores and pips into a preserving pan. Add 1.7 litres (3 pints) of cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30-40 mins till the apples are stewed down. Mash to a pulp.
Spoon the pulp into a muslin bag. I use a muslin cloth and tie with string hanging it from a strong hook over a clean blow.
Leave to drip overnight. DO NOT SQUEEZE IF YOU WANT A CLEAR JELLY.
The next day measure the clear juice, adding 454g (1lb) of sugar for every 600ml (1 pint) of juice. You should have approximately 1.7l/3 pints of juice.
Pour the juice into a large clean pan with the sugar and lemon juice (but not the zest.) Bring to the boil, stirring till the sugar dissolves, then bring to a rolling boil and remove any scum from the surface.
Continue to boil for 20-30 minutes or till the jelly reaches a setting point. This is crucial as you really need a good strong jelly. Remove pan from heat while you test for a set.
Leave to cool for 10 minutes then stir in chilli flakes and zest. Ladle into warm sterilized jars, cover with wax discs and seal. Label when cool.